FAQ
- Is this book suitable for my pupils?
It’s aimed at advanced readers in British Key Stage 2 (i.e. the 11-year-olds). It is also suitable for young adults (YA). It’s not gory. There is no sex: it’s only implied in one scene, which ends in a kiss. There’s no swearing, except one character who exclaims “By Hercules!”
- What can readers learn from the story?
It’s about the Roman invasion of Britannia, Rome during the reigns of the Emperors Claudius and Nero, and Boudicca’s rebellion. Each chapter has a problem that the hero faces in the rebellion, and he remembers his younger years to find a solution to the problem. An example is when the hero is defending the town of Camulodunum, and uses his experience of chariot racing in Rome to crush the enemy beneath the hooves of stampeding cattle. Learners can be asked to imagine solutions before reading the final part of each chapter.
- Is it historically accurate?
I’ve done my best to make it so. See the ‘Is it really true‘ page for video evidence. There are also historical notes at the back of the book.
- How does it fit into Key Stage 2?
According to the Department of Education’s Primary National Curriculum document (written in 2013), Key Stage 2 involves the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain, for example the successful invasion by Claudius and conquest, and British resistance, for example, Boudica, both of which are main events in the book. Aims of the National Curriculum addressed in the book include the expansion of empires and abstract terms such as ’empire’.
- Is it violent?
While it is set at a time of invasion and rebellion, I have tried to minimise the violence. The hero tries to solve his problems by out-thinking his enemies. His job in Rome is as a guard of the emperor, so he tries to protect people. However, that sometimes involves killing the emperor’s enemies. The violence is not gratuitous: almost all of it is taken from accounts of what really happened.
- What issues does it raise?
The hero is fighting the Romans because they are colonising Britannia. Slavery is briefly mentioned. There is some discrimination against the hero because he is a barbarian, and because his eyes are different colours.
- What does the book say about religion?
The hero follows the Celtic gods of the time. He believes that the gods send him signs to help him overcome his difficulties. Readers can use these signs as clues for how the hero will solve his problems. It provides examples of how to open one’s mind to inspiration and revelation. Roman religious beliefs are mentioned: their gods, and custom of deifying emperors after they die. The Jewish criteria for a messiah are mentioned. Christianity is not mentioned, as it was not widespread at the time.
- Are there any major female characters?
Yes, there are two fictional ones: Ganna, who is a priestess, and Melanipa, who is a princess and a cavalry leader. In plot terms, both have arcs: Ganna sets up her own temple, and Melanipa takes over from her mother as cavalry leader. Major historical female characters include the Empresses Messalina and Agrippina, as well as Boudicca.
- Tell me more about the story
In pre-Roman Britain, a boy is born with different-coloured eyes. His people name him Caz, and send him away to train as a druid, despite his desire to become a warrior. When the Roman Emperor Claudius invades, with his legions and war elephants, the apprentice druid and his master fight against them, but the Romans are unstoppable. Caz’s father is killed, and he swears revenge on the Romans and their allies, the traitorous Iceni tribe. A council of druids decides to send young men to learn the Roman ways and how to defeat them. Caz infiltrates the Roman camp, and becomes friends with the rider of the emperor’s elephant. He joins the emperor’s barbarian bodyguard, takes the name Decimus, and journeys to Rome, where he uses his druid skills and the power of the elephant to take revenge on those who invaded his homeland.
After years of intrigue and adventure around the empire, Decimus is sent back to Britannia when the Iceni King, husband of Queen Boudicca, dies. He finds his druid teachers massacred by the Romans, and the High Druid orders him to join Boudicca’s rebellion. Together they battle the Romans in a bloody race to Londinium. Boudicca’s war chief suspects he is Roman spy, and sows mistrust between him and the Queen, but the druid’s divine guidance leads the Britons to victory after victory. In the climactic battle, the druid reveals his true allegiance, fulfils his mission, and takes revenge upon his enemies.
- How can I ask you a question to include in this FAQ?
Please use my contact page to send me a message.
- Do you have any images that I can use in my teaching materials?
Yes. You can use the following images. They were generated by Playground 2.5 AI, using my prompts. According to the terms of service, they are mine, and I authorise teachers to use them for teaching purposes related to The Druid and the Elephant. The terms and conditions at https://playground.com/terms state “(ii) you (i.e. me) own all Assets you create with the Services and (iii) we hereby assign to you all rights, title and interest in and to such Assets for your personal or commercial use”.
