‘Despatch coming.’ Titus Annius pointed to the ridge behind them. Half a dozen cavalry were cantering down the smooth slope, led by a man with a luxuriously plumed helmet and a trooper holding his spear aloft, something flickering just below the head. As they came closer Ferox saw that it was a feather, as the commander of the Tungrians had guessed, and realised that the plumed officer was Flaccus, the junior tribune from VIIII Hispana. One of the cavalrymen in his escort had a freshly tied bandage round his thigh. They must have come from the Legate Quadratus and the main column.

‘We had a time of it getting through,’ the tribune said to Crispinus, before the two men moved to the side and spoke for some time.

It was an hour before noon on the morning after the attack on their camp. There were seven wounded men back with the baggage train to add to the eight given hasty burials before they set out. All but one of the dead were from the picket, for the attackers had hacked to pieces anyone who fell. The four survivors were all wounded, but had managed to stay on their feet and close together so that they were back to back. The attackers left forty-seven corpses on the ground and few if any of them had fled. There were no prisoners.

All of the dead bore the tattoos on forehead and hand and had fought with the same wild aggression as if they did not care whether they lived or died. None were skilful, and some carried woodsman’s or carpenter’s axes or just clubs rather than proper weapons. Yet they came on very fast and slashed or bludgeoned at anything within reach, keeping on striking even if they were covered with wounds. Soldiers spoke of men crawling towards them leaving the ground slick with blood, but still brandishing weapons. One of the Romans had been stabbed repeatedly when he went to check what he was sure was a corpse, given the horrible injuries to the Briton’s face, arms and chest.

As far as Ferox could tell, few of the dead appeared to be Selgovae, and instead were from many different tribes and much further afield. Quite a few looked half starved, with little trace of the muscles on arms and legs built up by warriors who practised for war. He had told Crispinus and the other senior officers about this, but was not sure how much they understood. Romans were apt to see all barbarians as much the same.