After taking the fortress at the Muluccha, Marius decided to return to Cirta to put his soldiers into winter quarters.
[3] While marching back east the Romans were ambushed, just to the west of Setif, by the combined forces of Jugurtha and Bocchus.
Marius barely managed to keep his army from being destroyed; all he could do was form defensive circles and then led his personal cavalry squadron to help each section that came under the most pressure.
Marius put his officers throughout the marching square to ensure discipline and orders were quickly relayed to his soldiers.
The Romans were severely outnumbered, according to ancient sources the North Africans had marshalled 90,000 soldiers, almost giving them a three to one advantage.
[6] Jugurtha tried to dispirit the Romans, and called out to them that he had just killed Gaius Marius, and exposed his sword dripping with blood.
For a short while the trick worked and the Romans were thrown into confusion, but Sulla, who had counter-attacked and driven off the enemy in his section of the battlefield, threw his forces against Bocchus.
Meanwhile, Marius had restored order to his troops and went on the offensive himself; he put a Jugurthine cavalry detachment to flight and moved on to the next weak spot in his line.