He heard a laugh to his left and turned towards it, sword raised and ready to strike, but he could not make out the leader of the gladiators. Instead, a burly man in a light tunic and leather cuirass faced him. The man’s skin was dark, almost black, and his teeth gleamed as he clenched them and paced towards Cato with a heavy cavalry blade in one hand and a small round shield in the other.

‘If you want Ajax, Roman, then you’re going to have to kill me first,’ the man spat contemptuously and opened his arms to expose his chest and coax Cato into an attack.

‘If that’s what it takes,’ Cato replied coldly.

He feinted towards the man’s stomach, forcing him to protect himself. The gladiator was no fool, and blocked the blow with his buckler, before immediately striking back at Cato, aiming straight for his eyes. Instinctively Cato ducked his head and raised his shield, momentarily losing sight of his foe. A mistake, as he realised the moment reason retrieved control from instinct. The rim of the buckler snapped round the edge of his shield and with a roar the gladiator ripped it aside and thrust his blade at Cato’s chest. He stumbled back and came up hard against the rough wall behind him. The other man’s thrust came to the end of his reach and the point cut through Cato’s tunic and pierced the skin and muscle on his chest before being stopped by his ribs. The impact and sharp pain made Cato gasp.