The new finds were preserved several meters down in damp earth.Twenty-five personal letters written on wood, dated to the 1st century AD, most likely between the years 85 and 92, were discovered several meters down in damp earth near Hadrian’s Wall, at the remains of the Roman fort of Vindolanda in Northumberland.
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The touching 1,800-year-old letter from a Roman legionary to his family
As reported in The Guardian, these rare findings are less than 2 millimeters thick and about the size of a postcard. One of the letters, according to the article, belongs to a soldier called Masclus, who is well known because of a previously discovered letter in which he asks his commanding officers for more beer for the soldiers. In this newly found letter, he’s asking for permission to leave his post.
The letter will now be scanned under infrared light in order to help archaeologists and other experts read and transcribe them. You can read the whole Guardian article here.
