Claudius

After Caligula’s death, Rufus continues to serve the imperial household under Claudius and travels with the Roman invasion force sent to Britain in AD 43. The emperor intends conquest to secure his authority at Rome, while Caratacus and the southern British tribes prepare to resist the legions advancing into their territory.

Rufus marches with Bersheba, the imperial elephant whose appearance has been reserved for a decisive psychological and military purpose. Seen from the camp, baggage train and battlefield, the campaign tests Rufus’s loyalty to the people who own him and his responsibility for an animal placed at the centre of Claudius’s attempt to manufacture a triumph.