And as each bit of ground was torn away by the stranger, the Briton sullenly withdrew from it only to turn doggedly and fight for the next.

There is no need to believe that the clearing of the land meant so impossible a thing as the general slaughter of the men who held it.
Slaughter there was, no doubt, on the battle-field or in towns like Anderida whose long resistance woke wrath in their besiegers.

But for the most part the Britons were not slaughtered; they were defeated and drew back.

Such a withdrawal was only made possible by the slowness of the conquest.

For it is not only the stoutness of its defence which distinguishes the conquest of Britain from that of the other provinces of the Empire, but the weakness of attack.