The future governor Quintus Petillius Cerialis, at this time commanding the Legio IX Hispana, attempts to relieve the city, but suffers an overwhelming defeat.

His infantry is wiped out—only the commander and some of his cavalry escape.

The location of this famous battle is now claimed by some to be the village of Great Wratting, in Suffolk, which lies in the Stour Valley on the Icknield Way west of Colchester, and by a village in Essex.

After this defeat, Catus Decianus flees to Gaul.

Catus Decianus, who had fled to Gaul, is replaced by Gaius Julius Alpinus Classicianus, who has expressed concern to the Emperor Nero that the punitive policies of the governor, Suetonius Paulinus, will lead to continued hostilities.

Nero dispatches his freedman, Polyclitus, to lead an inquiry.

An excuse, that Suetonius had lost some ships, is found to relieve him of command and replace him with the more conciliatory Publius Petronius Turpilianus.

The historian Suetonius tells us the crisis had almost persuaded Nero to abandon Britain.