Friday, April 3, 2009

Birthday Invitation, AD 100


From the British Museum Images website, which is amazing, this remarkable find. This scrap of papyrus was found in a privy at Vindolanda, a Roman fort in north Britain that became part of the support system for Hadrian's Wall. It was an invitation to a birthday party held around AD 100:

Front: 'Claudia Severa to her Lepidina greetings. On 11 September, sister, for the day of the celebration of my birthday, I give you a warm invitation to make sure that you come to us, to make the day more enjoyable for me by your arrival, if you are present (?). Give my greetings to your Cerialis. My Aelius and my little son send him (?) their greetings. (2nd hand) I shall expect you sister. Farewell, sister my dearest soul, as I hope to prosper, and hail.
Back: (1st hand) 'To Sulpicia Lepidina, wife of Cerialis, from Severa'.

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