ian ▁tribes ▁from ▁the ▁lands ▁either ▁north ▁or ▁south ▁the ▁T ajo ▁river , ▁He ▁was ▁apparently ▁una ff ili ated ▁to ▁P unic us ▁and ▁Ca es arus , ▁though ▁probably ▁inspired ▁to ▁act ▁by ▁their ▁success ▁against ▁the ▁Rom ans . ▁Also , ▁his ▁campaign ▁in ▁Africa ▁has ▁suggested ▁a ▁possibly ▁al liance ▁with ▁Car th age , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁Num id ians ▁of ▁Mas in issa , ▁al ly ▁to ▁Rome . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 3 ▁BC , ▁C au cen us ▁launched ▁a ▁previously ▁un seen ▁am bit ious ▁military ▁project . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁cont ing ent ▁inv aded ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁C yn etes , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁Roman ▁subjects , ▁and ▁captured ▁their ▁capital ▁city , ▁Con ist org is . ▁They ▁continued ▁south ▁and , ▁after ▁acqu iring ▁ships , ▁crossed ▁over ▁the ▁Gib ral tar ▁stra it ▁to ▁in va de ▁the ▁African ▁region ▁of ▁Ma ure t ania . ▁There ▁he ▁divided ▁his ▁forces , ▁the ▁first ▁part ▁over running ▁the ▁nearby ▁lands ▁while ▁the ▁second ▁bes ie ged ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁O cile , ▁possibly ▁current ▁day ▁As il ah , ▁with ▁the ▁intent ▁to ▁capture ▁it ▁as ▁well . ▁However ▁Lu cius ▁M um mi us , ▁fresh ▁from ▁his ▁victory ▁over ▁Ca es arus ' s ▁troops , ▁came ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁citizens ▁with ▁ 9 , 5 0 0 ▁soldiers . ▁As ▁the ▁L us it ani ans ▁were ▁una ware ▁and