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deployed into line as their members released arrow after arrow at the Romans, tearing gaps in their ranks as the missiles struck animals and riders, the bronze arrowheads piercing flesh and smashing bones. Above me the air was thick with shafts as six hundred men loosed around three and half thousand arrows a minute at the enemy.
    The Romans in the rear ranks, thinned by my archers, halted and desperately tried to reform to meet the new threat. But stationary targets meant my men could now aim more accurately as the companies slowed their pace and then wheeled right so they could ride parallel to the Roman line, raking them with arrows as they did so. And then Vagises’ men began their own shooting, at first releasing their bowstrings over the hindquarters of their horses and then halting to about-face to shoot volley after volley so the front ranks of the Romans literally rode into a wall of arrows. This first halted them and then forced them back as saddles were emptied and horses were struck multiple times by missiles.
    We kept our distance from the Roman horsemen as they were armed with spears and shields and to fight them at close quarters would be to invite our destruction. Our advantage lay in archery from a safe distance, using the power and range of our bows to shoot them to pieces. The Roman commander also realised this for I heard trumpet blasts and then saw the horsemen change direction.
    Their discipline was magnificent as they about-faced as on the parade ground and withdrew to the safety of their own lines. I saw a figure on a brown horse, a man sitting tall in the saddle, his stature increased by a great red crest in his helmet. He remained at the rear of his horsemen so all could see that he did not fear us. He was undoubtedly their commander.
    I dug my knees into Remus’ sides and he shot forward to pursue the fleeing Romans, Vagharsh, Malik and his warriors immediately behind me. The Roman with the great crest saw us and about-faced to meet us, a sword in his hand and a shield held close to his body. The rearmost company of his men – a hundred riders – likewise turned and closed up on their leader. I slipped my bow back in its case and drew my sword as the two groups of riders collided. Like their Roman opponents Malik’s men were equipped with spears and shields in addition to their swords and there was a rapid succession of dull thuds as spearmen tried to drive their points into an opponent’s torso, only to see their lances either miss their target or glance off a shield.
    I swung my sword at the Roman commander’s head but he saw my weapon and met the blade with his own, then used his own sword to chop at my head and strike at my body, blows that I parried with difficulty. Whoever he was this Roman knew how to use a sword. I tried to thrust my spatha at his mail-covered chest but he brought his shield in front of him to block the strike, before trying to lop off my head with a great scything attack with his own blade. I instinctively leaned back in the saddle and his blade missed my flesh by a hair’s breadth. As our horses did their own intricate dances around each other we continued to hack and thrust with our swords, but he countered every strike I made, seemingly without effort, while I had difficulty in fending off his expert sword strokes. Perhaps it would be better to kill him with an arrow!
    I pulled Remus back a few feet and then Malik was at my side, pointing his bloodied sword at my opponent.
    ‘Time to die, Roman. You are alone and surrounded.’
    I looked around and saw that he was indeed the only Roman in the immediate vicinity. Behind him, on each side and to his front was a host of Agraci warriors in their saddles with their spears pointed at him. And beside Malik was Vagises, whose horsemen must have either killed or chased away the remaining Romans. As more and more Agraci and Parthian riders gathered round the Roman rested his sword on his right shoulder, his shield still