The reconquest of Britain begins in 296.

With Maximian holding the Rhine frontier, Constantius divides his fleet into several divisions.

He leads one division himself from Bononia; another, sailing from Le Havre, is commanded by Asclepiodotus, prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

They land in the vicinity of Southampton and burn their ships.

The rebels are forced to retreat from the coast, but in doing so, fall into the hands of another division and are routed.

Allectus himself is killed in the battle, having removed all insignia in the hope that his body would not be identified.

A group of Roman troops, who had been separated from the main body by the fog during the channel crossing, catches up with the remnants of Allectus's men, mostly Franks, at Londinium (London), and massacres them.

Constantius himself, it seems, does not reach Britain until it is all over, and the panegyrist claims he was welcomed by the Britons as a liberator.

Constantius and his praetorian prefect, Asclepiodotus, launch a brilliant two-pronged attack on Britain in September 296, their forces sailing in several divisions.

Constantius leads one division from Bononia, but seems to have been delayed by bad weather.

Asclepiodotius, taking advantage of fog to avoid Allectus's ships stationed at the Isle of Wight, lands near Southampton Water, where they burn their ships.

Allectus's forces are forced to retreat from the coast, but are cut off by another of Constantius's divisions and defeated in Hampshire.

Allectus himself is killed in the battle, having removed all insignia in the hope that his body would not be identified.

Archaeology suggests that Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester) was the site of his defeat.

A group of Roman troops, who had been separated from the main body by the fog during the channel crossing, sails up the Thames to catch up with the remnants of Allectus's men, mostly Franks, at Londinium (London), and massacres them.

Constantius himself, it seems, does not reach Britain until it is all over (his panegyrist claims he was welcomed by the Britons as a liberator).

He now sets about restoring frontier defenses.

The Romans in Britain, who by 300 have come increasingly under hit-and-run attacks by the Saxon raiders, have constructed coastal forts as far as Cardiff, …

…have erected a defensive river wall at Londinium, and …

…fortified York.

The Saxon raids originating from the Amsterdam shore target the Wash; …

… those from the Boulogne area are directed at Kent; and …

…those from the Cherbourg vicinity aim at the Isle of Wight.

The Saxons pillage settlements, murder and rape civilians, and torch buildings.