As is usual in such conflicts, the guerrilla has the initiative, and as long as he can evade situations where the enemy can deploy overwhelming force, the resistance can be continued. By striking at the most vulnerable element of the native forces led by Caratacus, in the manner in which Centurion Quertus carried the war to the Silurian villages, the Romans could retake the initiative and force the natives on to the back foot, as happens with my novel’s depiction of Caratacus being obliged to counter the attacks of the Blood Crows.

Such tactics might work well in a world where there was no mass media on hand to report the ‘collateral’ damage, and it is interesting to ponder the fact that the effectiveness of conventional military power is inversely proportional to the breadth and duration of the mass, and increasingly social, media that reports on its activities. Conversely, the measure of success of the enemy guerrilla forces is directly proportional to the same media. How modern generals must envy the free hand that was dealt to their ancient predecessors!

Meanwhile, back to Cato and Macro. Having driven off Caratacus and his army they must now march with Legate Quintatus and attempt to chase down the native army and force it to turn and give battle. Despite the legate’s optimism, Caratacus has defied Rome more than once when her generals had thought they had finally crushed the natives’ will to resist. The conquest of Britannia is still some way off, and the struggle faced by Macro, Cato and the soldiers of Rome must continue. There are great challenges ahead that will test our two heroes to the utmost – and they will return to confront Caratacus in the next novel in the series!