And the fighters had brought their families, even their dogs and goats and sheep. Children swarmed around Agrippina’s feet, mock-fighting with bits of wood, excited by the noise. Vendors of broiled meat, pine cones and hazelnuts worked the crowd. With the noise of men shouting, children screaming, dogs barking and chickens clucking, it was more like a huge, disorganised market than an army.

This was the way the Catuvellaunians and their allies and enemies had always fought their wars. But Agrippina glanced uneasily across the river, where the clean straight lines of the legionaries’ fort were clearly visible.

Cunedda asked Nectovelin, ‘So what do you think?’

Nectovelin grunted. ‘What a dog-fight. I wouldn’t bring my family here, put it that way.’

‘I’m your family,’ Agrippina pointed out.

‘Yes, and I had to stop you putting on armour!’

‘There are many women preparing to fight here - Braint among them.’

‘Braint is a tough old boot with forearms like Coventina’s shuddering thighs.’

‘I heard that,’ Braint growled, suddenly right behind them. Agrippina was always surprised such a massive woman could move so silently.

Nectovelin sighed. ‘My point is, ’Pina, she will make the Romans piss their pants - whereas you, child, would only make them laugh, before they performed revolting acts on you and slit your throat. I have a feeling you’ll get your chance for revenge,’ he said grimly. ‘But not today, not here. Not like this.’

‘You’re looking for Caratacus,’ Braint said.

‘Since the sun was high.’

‘The princes are at the edge of the water. Follow me.’

Nectovelin and Braint led the way down to the river. The ground here, already marshy, was churned up by feet and hooves, and was thick with animal droppings. They had to work their way through hastily assembled defences: heaps of boulders, trenches, stakes thrust into the ground, all intended to deter the anticipated Roman crossing. The crowds grew denser until Agrippina was hemmed in on all sides, and the noise and stink of leather and sweat grew overwhelming. It took some heavy shouldering by Nectovelin and Braint to force a way through.

At last Agrippina found herself facing the languid water. But the river itself was crowded. Warriors stalked up and down in water that lapped up to their knees. Some of them waved swords at the Romans on the far bank, or slapped the water with their blades. Women pulled faces at the invaders, with tongues extended and eyes bulging. Even children were showing their little arses.

A handful of Romans on the far bank, washing their feet in the river, seemed unperturbed. They laughed and catcalled and pointed out to each other particular sights that amused them: a fat old warrior doing a war dance in the water, a dog that gambolled in the spray thinking everybody was playing this sunny afternoon.