On the afternoon of the last day of the month, leaving his army encamped for the night in the valley behind him, Curius Hibernicus rode to the top of the ridge which formed the border between Gallia Narbonensis and Aquitania. He was accompanied by his Military Quaestor, Gaius Ulpius Sisenna Aurelianus, who had recently rejoined the army following his injury at the Battle of Iturissa.

It had been hard and slow going across country after crossing the river just south of Tolosa, now besieged by a joint Roman/German army. Determined, this time, to keep the army together, the Chief of Staff had insisted on short marches, well scouted in advance.

Looking out to the west Hibernicus could see isolated bands of enemy cavalry, but no sign of their main force. Elimberris itself still lay about a dozen miles ahead, hidden behind the last intervening ridge.