Ajax backed off a pace, and risked a quick glance to see how the fight was going. Beyond the section ahead of him, more men were spreading along the wall. Below, in the streets, the enemy streamed towards the steps leading up on to the wall. There was not much time, Ajax realised. If the rebels could not get enough men on to the wall to make their numbers tell, then the assault was doomed.

The optio clattered his sword against the edge of his shield and sneered.' Had enough, then?'

Ajax could not help laughing. Such an obvious taunt was beneath even the greenest of gladiators. He moved forward again, determined to cut the man down and clear a path for Chilo and his men. The optio's shield came up, ready to take the next spear thrust. Ajax feinted high, forcing the Roman to raise his shield still further, then the gladiator went down on one knee, angling the edge of his shield forward and smashing it against the other man's leading shin. There was a sharp crack at the impact and the optio bellowed in pain and rage as he collapsed. Ajax recovered, rising over his victim, and struck home, taking the man under the armpit, driving through his side into his chest. He stamped his foot down on the Roman, then yanked the spearhead free and stepped over the body. With the death of the optio, the other Romans backed away, crowding back towards the first of their comrades who had climbed the wall to aid them.

The gladiator glanced over his shoulder. Ten or more of his men were on the wall now, together with Chilo. As three of them came running along the walkway, Ajax stepped into the parapet to let them pass.

'Keep ' em busy!' he ordered. 'Don't let them press you back.'

He retreated a few paces before turning and hurrying towards Chilo, and thrust his arm out towards the gatehouse. 'That way! Keep the men going that way. We must take the gate, quickly!'

Chilo nodded, calling to his men, ' Follow me!'

Together with several of his companions, Chilo ran along the wall towards the open door leading from the walkway into the gatehouse.

He was no more than a spear's length from the opening when a Roman stepped out, then stopped in surprise as he saw the rebels pounding towards him. The next moment Chilo slammed into him and they crashed back through the doorway into the gatehouse. His men crowded in behind him and the sounds of shouts and the clash of shields and blades carried outside to Ajax. He had already transferred his bloodied spear to his shield hand and was helping a man over the rampart and thrusting him towards the gatehouse.' Go!'

As he waited for the next man, Ajax looked back along the wall and saw that only two ladders were still standing. In the streets, the sound of nailed boots was deafening as more and more Romans rushed towards the endangered section of their defences, and he knew that the rebels could not get enough men on to the wall to hold it for much longer. Already one of the three men tasked with holding the walkway further along was down, doubled over as he curled round a wound to his groin. His comrades were forced back and a moment later the man was dead, killed by the first Roman to step over him.

Another man came over the rampart and Ajax grabbed his arm.

'With me!'

He hurried forward to help the two men faced by impossible odds. Four might stem the enemy tide long enough for Chilo to take the gatehouse. They stood, shields presented to the Romans, stabbing overhead with their spears. Another of the defenders went down, clutching his throat as he toppled off the wall. Then the enemy were up close, shield to shield, grunting with the effort of pressing the rebels back. Step by step, Ajax and the others were forced to give ground, falling back past the top of the other remaining ladder. Then one of his men collapsed, caught by the blade of a short sword rammed through a gap in their shields. Behind him he heard renewed sounds of fighting from the gatehouse and then Chilo ordering his men to fall back.

'No!' Ajax shouted at the top of his voice. 'Chilo! Hold fast!'

But his voice was drowned out by another, cutting through the night as a Roman officer bellowed,'Kill the bastards! Cut ' em down! Come on, lads, on me!'

Ajax felt a nudge at his shoulder as another man who had climbed the ladder joined the desperate struggle. He let the man by to take his place and turned to see how Chilo was faring. There was a sick feeling in his gut as he saw that a fresh wave of Romans had already pushed the rebels out of the gatehouse and was forcing them back towards the remaining ladder. The fight was lost, Ajax realised at once, and instantly knew he must do what he could to save his men.

He leaned over the wall. 'Back! Fall back!'

The upturned faces below him were dimly visible by the fading glow of the burning faggots, and their looks of despair cut into his heart like knives, but there was nothing else he could do. 'Fall back, I said! Now!'

The first of them turned and retreated towards the ditch.

'General!' Chilo came up to him, panting and face spattered with blood. He nodded towards the remaining ladder. 'You first.'

For an instant Ajax was tempted to refuse, before his reason took over. The attack had failed and his men would need him alive.

'All right. But you and the rest get down as fast as you can.'

'Yes, General.'

Ajax swung himself back over the parapet and felt for the top rung with his bare feet. He let his spear drop to the ground below and clambered back down. As he reached the bottom, the first of Chilo's men came after him.

'Don't let them get away!' the Roman officer shouted above the din of the fight on the wall, and Ajax felt his guts tighten at the sound. He looked up and snarled through clenched teeth,

'Macro...'

One by one his men came down the ladder and fled back across the ditch. From the other side there were cries of shock and pain, and Ajax realised that some of them must have run over the belt of caltrops in their haste to get away from the wall. Chilo landed heavily beside him.

'You the last?'

'Two still up there.'

There was nothing that could be done for them. Ajax clapped Chilo on the shoulder. 'Let's go.'

They turned and ran towards the ditch as there was a brief, final clash of weapons on the wall. Then a voice boomed out:

'AJAX!'

He hesitated and looked back. In the light of a torch blazing a short distance along the wall, he saw the Roman centurion. He had a javelin drawn back in his right hand as he took aim at the rebel leader. Then, with a grunt, he hurled the weapon down. His aim was true and the dark shaft swept towards Ajax. Before he could react, a body slammed into him, knocking him to one side. The javelin struck with a sound like a pick driven into wet sand and there was an explosive grunt of air. Ajax's gladiator's reflexes served him well as he rolled back into a crouch. At his feet lay Chilo, staring up and gasping as his fingers felt the shaft that pinned him to the ground through his stomach.

'General, go,' he managed to groan.

Ajax grasped the shaft and wrenched it out. Then he grabbed Chilo, lifted him on to his back and scrambled down the ditch, across the bottom and up the other side. There was another shout from the wall.

'Don't just stand there, you dozy bastards! Get him!'

Another javelin struck the earth close by as Ajax struggled over the edge of the ditch. Several more followed as he staggered on, watching the ground as carefully as he could to make sure he did not step on one of the caltrops. Once he was sure that he had passed through them and was out of range of the javelins, he sagged down and lowered Chilo to the grass. Chilo rolled on to his back with a sharp cry of pain and clutched a hand to the wound.

'Oh... fuck, fuck, it hurts,' he muttered.

Ajax saw some more of his men a short distance off.' Over here, now!'