The Annals of Rhegin: March 477 - The first raid...

This is the first British entry for a Dux Britanniarum campaign that is being fought between myself and my brother. The Annals are written by my brother who is playing the part of the Britons. I am writing the Saga outlining the Saxon side of the campaign, the first entry of which can be found here...

As I write this in the year of our Lord 477AD, a dark tide is starting to spread over our fair land.  It has been 20 years since the pagan Hengist defeated King Guoyrancgonus, 20 years since his kingdom became known as the Lost Lands and mere 7 years since the great city of Caer Lundein was abandoned. Now as I look out to sea, I see the Saxon ships circling Rhegin's shores like wolves around a herd of sheep.

The aged king, too old and surely close to death, has given the duty of ridding us of these heathens to Tribune Agricola, whose father was a centurion of the famous Legio IV Britannia. However, I can't help but feel that this is but a misplaced hope that marshal ability can be passed on through the loins. So far, the Tribune, famous for his blusterous rhetoric (not only from the front part of the digestive tract), has only shown an aptitude for conquests of a more venereal nature.

In March of 477AD, disaster struck. While Tribune Agricola was inspecting the border fortifications of Anderitum, the Saxons and their leader Aldred the Bearded ambushed a returning patrol of milites led by Decurion Atticus. Even though our warriors fought bravely against the heathen horde, and died honourable almost to a man, Atticus the Weak lived up to his reputation and fled from the field of battle.

Enraged by the slaughter he had just witnessed (and possibly by indigestion), Agricola gathered his comanipulares and numari and launched a counterattack hoping to cut off Aldred before he could regroup his forces. They triumphantly cut down several of Aldred's elite gedright and wounded one of his adeligs before being flanked by a group of Saxon warriors who shattered their shieldwall and hacked down many of our loyal countrymen causing heavy losses. In the retreat, Decurion Lucius, possibly due to his miniscule stature, was overwhelmed and captured. It is certain that when the news of how much ransom was paid by Lucius' honestiore family reaches the Saxons, we will be facing even larger odds as these pagans tend to flock to gold like crows gathering to feed after a battle. Even today, April 477AD, I  received news that the pagans raided Anderitum again and carried off a thief's horde and we were helpless to stop them. Oh the humiliation, please Lord, hear our prayers and spite these heathen dogs!

Father Cadwy (Hist. Rheginae Britannica)

Tomorrow we will post the Saxon account recorded in the latest verse of the Saga of Aldred The Bearded