The Real Letters from Roman Soldiers

These are letters written by Roman soldiers nearly 2,000 years ago. They were written on wooden tablets in ink made with charcoal and tree sap. When they were discovered, they the oldest handwritten texts ever found in Britain, and the oldest handwritten Latin texts ever found. All of them come from Vindolanda, a Roman fort right by Hadrian’s Wall. They were preserved in anaerobic bog-like conditions, so what you’re about to hear are real Roman soldiers from the 1st to 2nd century AD, nearly 2,000 years ago.
In the video, I use pictures that aren't necessarily representative of the exact tablet because many are only available in black and white. You can read them all for free here: romaninscripti....
Music: Celtic Impulse by Kevin MacLeod.

[@markbeck8384]

This makes them very real: dealing with friendships and family, money matters, supply needs, justice.. just like us today.

[@TopRomanFacts]

It's a breath of fresh air compared to normal history focused on war and politics

[@user-uu1nw1bl9j]

Yeah its almost if theyre humans. /S Very nice indeed. That's why I generally like memoirs and old diaries.

[@TopRomanFacts]

@user-uu1nw1bl9j yes but humans who crucified people! They're like us but not like us at the same time

[@notsocrates9529]

Why wouldn't they have to do deal with those things?

[@Mumbo_Jumbo_Kiwi.1]

as if the letter writers were compelled to a code of due diligence, suffer the consequences

[@ronorazine9105]

Interesting as a young soldier in viet nam on the DMZ, i had no good socks or underware due to a seige. Sent a request to my mother and received once things quieted down two packages of socks snd underwear plus some snacks. Couldnt help but smile at the roman soldier who got knitted socks.

[@TopRomanFacts]

It's sweet how some things never change

[@captainamerica6525]

I too had to smile at the mention of warm knitted socks from a mother to her legionary son. I spent 2 years in Germany and the winters were damnably cold. I wrote home for some battery operated socks which my folks hastily sent. The more things change....

[@randomvintagefilm273]

Thank you for your service sir ❤

[@MichaelLeBlanc-p4f]

Nothing ever changes except for the stage settings and thecast members in lifes constant drama. The scrip always remains the same or so this fellow with 3/4 of a century experience and love of history believes.

[@pilarrusso9883]

Your mother had to send you clothes, this should be the Gobertment duty.I am shocked.

[@Nellis202]

People are people ……. even two thousand years ago . Same hopes , same dreams. Makes it all the more palpable.

[@TopRomanFacts]

People never change!

[@TaraConti]

@@TopRomanFactsOnly the stuff around us…

[@zhhrah]

Their brains had the same software as we do now

[@pibly7784]

Yes !

[@user_1664]

And we all still slaves to a society we never asked for . Funny innit .

[@robinharwood5044]

As I recall, at least one letter referred, not just to socks, but to warm underpants. Hardly surprising. if you are standing on the wall at midnight, in winter, you’ll want more than just a tunic between the North Wind and your essentials.

[@TopRomanFacts]

That's a great letter

[@BlindSquirrel666]

Is that the letter wherein we learned the Latin word for underwear?@@TopRomanFacts

[@rickh3714]

​@@BlindSquirrel666 "Bolochus frigidus nomorus. 🩳 Called simply 'Bolfriginos' in vulgar Latin." Prof Quentin Blenkinsopp, Perils of Roman Britain & Ancient Caledonia, Univ of Suxford Press 🧐

[@brawdygordii]

Thus proving that the Scots are tougher cookies than any Roman Legionnaire. It was only after 1707 and the anglicisation of the lowlands that the hardy Scots were infiltrated by lilly-livered Sasenachs (Saxons) with their pink frilly knickers and their troosers. What the ladies wore I don't know:-)

[@markwardel6751]

@@rickh3714 🤣🤣🤣

[@EndingSimple]

It is precious to hear from human beings that far back in time. Thank you for it.

[@TopRomanFacts]

It is a miracle really. Thanks for you comment!

[@Sketch_Sesh]

@@TopRomanFactssounds like they hand made a lot of things with the hides, sinew, threshing grain etc..

[@IrishAnnie]

Makes them very human to us instead of legend.

[@owllymannstein7113]

If you look around on youtube there's a video where they read the epitaphs from a Roman pet cemetery, its probably the most pointlessly sad video on youtube, but does make you see the Romans as very human.

[@abcdeshole]

@@Sketch_Sesh people were pretty industrious about making a lot of the things that they needed, before very recent history.

[@njhoepner]

It reminds me of when I lived in Wiesbaden, Germany, which in Roman times was a major fortress and settlement. There was a short bridge from the Roman period there, and just below it a few Roman gravestones. One was of a centurion. So there I was, a U.S. Army officer serving in Germany, looking at the gravestone of a Roman Army officer serving in Germany. It was an interesting feeling.

[@colinhunt4057]

In the ancient city square in Regensburg is the central cathedral surrounded by a wall. The wall is not very high, but obviously of great age. In the centre of the wall is a gateway in the form of an arch. Carved into the arch are the words "Porta Praetoria". These words signify the front gate of a Roman legion fortress. Regensburg was created by the Romans as a legion fortress. Regensburg was one of the relatively convenient crossing places over the Danube River, hence the need to garrison it strongly.

[@njhoepner]

@@colinhunt4057 If you go to Trier (originally Augustinium Treverorum) you can see the Black Gate or "Porta Nigra," one of the four gates of the original city fortification. The city was founded in the first century and originally unwalled, because it was on the "safe" side of the Rhine, over 50km inside the imperial border. Then, in the 3rd century, the Romans realized they had to fortify it. The gate is truly massive...the walls were high and thick...and just as they finished the fortifications, the Alemanni stormed through and sacked the city. Oh, the irony.

[@colinhunt4057]

@@njhoepner Trier, formerly known as Treves in English, was I believe the former capital of the western Roman Empire. At that time, the Empire had four capitals: Augustinium Trevororum, Ravenna, Constantinople and Antioch. These served the purpose of allowing the resident Emperor or Caesar to remain closer to the local armies defending the frontier. Trier would have been one of the principal cities of the empire in the 3rd century AD., as it would have been the administrative centre of Britain, France, Spain. Trier would also have the advantage of being on a main commercial highway of the western Empire, the Rhine River. It would be nice to visit it someday. There are few enough Roman ruins surviving to this day, and it would be good to see more of them.

[@njhoepner]

@@colinhunt4057 Trier was a capital, and when they could no longer keep it secure it moved, eventually to Milan, and then Ravenna when even Italy was no longer secure. Trier is pretty impressive to visit. There's the gate, the amphitheater, and a medieval cathedral that is also pretty cool to see.

[@JuliusCaesar888]

Rowdy Germans always needing occupation lmao.

[@francisebbecke2727]

Problems of every day people are about the same them as now. Great find!

[@TopRomanFacts]

People never change

[@KravKernow]

The Vindolanda tablets are my favourite find in archaeology. They just so humanise the community there. I love the complaint about the state of the roads. Just shows how the myth and reality aren't always the same. They also have interesting examples of people using latin letters to transliterate the local Celtic languages into writing.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yep very well put 👏

[@Misses-Hippy]

"Transliterate" - a new word for me. Thx.

[@view1st]

Transcribe is the word you want I think. As far as I can tell the ancient Celts had no written language to transliterate. Transcribe means to put spoken words into written form. Transliterate means to put one form of writing into another form of writing. An example would be turning Chinese ideograms into Latin script so they can be read in English.

[@KravKernow]

@@view1st Much obliged

[@acebrandon3522]

That was very interesting, due to the fact that the soldiers that wrote these letters 2000 years-ago were dead but their words were preserved and alive for 45 generations. For us to read and learn from.

[@TopRomanFacts]

I sometimes wonder how they would have felt about us reading their immortal words

[@acebrandon3522]

@@TopRomanFacts The same as us. Upset over it most likely. The Romans had the same struggles as us today, but the technology was way different. Think if we today were in the same boat as the Romans were. 2000 years from now somebody discovers a well-preserved cell phone, or I pad and found a way to activate it and read our stored emails. I wonder how they would see us primitives today. 🤔

[@davidkeely43]

If it were my daughter’s old cell phone, it is highly doubtful that they would understand the meanings of the messages!!

[@masti733]

It's probably closer to 100 generations. It's only recent people have children later in life, people had short life expectancy then. I bet it was common for 20 year old women to have a child already. 2000 / 20 = 100.

[@acebrandon3522]

@@masti733You may be actually closer than I was in the generational estimate.

[@alaakela]

How marvelous! We are reading letter from 2000 years ago! Love it!

[@TopRomanFacts]

And we are doing so due to the potluck nature of archaeology

[@CrankyGrandma]

It’s funny how close in style this is to Paul’s epistles.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Very similar

[@olleani]

This must be the polite style of Latin afforded when you were writing or talking publicly. Because it sounds too stiff to be vernacular.

[@dgrewar]

I also thought so.

[@evelynsaungikar3553]

Paul was a Roman.

[@danacamp5437]

Similar to the apostle Paul's style? Not even close. These notes are all very stiff and full of unnecessary wordiness. Paul's writing is dense and complex, but nothing is "fluff" or extraneous. It's incredibly deep, philosophical reasoning. Analytical brilliance, not tedium. And, Paul was writing in koine Greek, not Latin. So very different.

[@sookie4195]

I love history warts and all. I dislike people trying to rewrite history. Thank you for sharing!

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for the comment!

[@patriciajrs46]

I have to agree with this.

[@multipipi1234]

Well .sometimes it has to be rewritten. Such as Custer's Last Stand. This was panic and running for their lives and much disorganized chaos. Blue Sones once told came from Wales to Stonehenge is now no longer the case. Based on archeological findings findings .

[@jchisholm1968]

They sound like warmer & more considerate individuals than people are today.

[@kelrogers8480]

Wtf! Hardly! Read up on Rome and the Romans.

[@chisciccise]

That’s an easy task ,if you ask me, but yes, they probably were.

[@chimneydriptray2439]

Words are a index character they indicated the intelligence of the Person who wrote them. 2000 years old and they sound highly intelligent conversations .

[@TopRomanFacts]

Absolutely right

[@chimneydriptray2439]

Are the words in the bible any less potents now than when they were first spoken, 2000 year ago?

[@davidnash1220]

I was lazy not walking the length of the wall but seeing the main parts it was lovely weather and just great to see especially the letters saved from Vindolanda, it's as if you can touch history You reading these reminds me of that trip 👍

[@TopRomanFacts]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for you comments

[@DreidMusicalX]

It always gives me chills to think of all the lives before us that has come and gone. Lived, loved, fought, died, and that will never be here again.

[@kenbo-2179]

I did enjoy their words. Thank you for bringing them to us!

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks!

[@josephc7362]

BTW. My dad served in the US Navy during WW II. Letters to and from service members overseas were microfilmed and sent as what was called V mail. These Roman soldier's letters strike me as a similar format.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yes absolutely

[@moriko07]

It reminds me of Aurelius Polion's letter that he wrote home to Egypt, while in Pannonia. The letter was found in Egypt, so it reached his family, but we don't know if he managed to return home. Here in Italy he moved everyone, I will send this video to the Italian Scripta Manent channel, thanks for talking about it. ^_^

[@Misses-Hippy]

Googling....

[@dagwort]

At 3:50, a certain Octavius writes about acquiring 5000 "ears of corn" for the garrison. I'm no expert, but I recall that "corn" in ancient context is a translation of "granum", a Latin term for "grain" in general. Modern corn (or maize) is a New World crop the Romans had no knowledge of. Did Octavius mean "sheaves of grain"?

[@TopRomanFacts]

Corn is a term used by historians to refer to grains in general. For example the British Corn Laws were about wheat, not the New World crop. Octavius was referring to wheat or barely

[@trikepilot101]

Technically "corn" means the most common grain crop of a region. In North America, it has come to mean "maise" but in formal speach, especially in the UK, it retains its older meaning.

[@davidkottman3440]

So, an "ear of corn" would be a head of wheat or barley on a very short stem & unthreshed. Sheaves would refer to bundles of long straw with the unthreshed heads or ears still attached. Threshed grain would be sold by weight or volume similar to today.

[@jarls5890]

In all of Scandinavia (as well as to some extent in German speaking countries) - the common word for all grain is "Korn"...i.e. "Corn". The only word ever used for "Maize" is..."Mais".

[@davidkottman3440]

@@jarls5890 south America too - mais.

[@todd5082]

Surprised at how similar these letters would be if written today. Romans were concerned about food prices and quality, road conditions, payments, shopping lists, etc. Thanks for sharing these letters.

[@shoegazeforever8810]

The Vindolanda tablets: Britain's greatest national treasure.

[@TopRomanFacts]

100%

[@Misses-Hippy]

Well, there is Stonehenge.

[@davidnash1220]

Excellent I visited the Wall last year absolutely fantastic and Vindolanda breathtaking

[@TopRomanFacts]

Amazing I love Hadrian's Wall. Did you do a hike or just visit the main bits?

[@danielepedoussaut8860]

​@@TopRomanFacts j'étais sur le Mur d'Hadrien il y a bien 30 ans. Le paysage , admirable, du soleil, des digitales pourpres (foxgloves). Un brave chien courait au sommet, tout joyeux. Et sa maitresse un peu âgée me disant : Yet, he's older than me by dogs' standards ! J' ai même trouvé un bout de hache de pierre, brisée, que j'ai perdu depuis.

[@WellSwolen69]

This is very interesting seeing so many different classes of people writing in Ancient Rome. Many countries after were limited in those who could read and write.

[@air_cooled_andy]

‘The roads are bad’, yep some things never change 😂 Great video!! Really interesting 👌

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks! Imagine if that Roman soldier saw the state of roads in Britain today 😳

[@ingaz6565]

Thats a high quality and varied diet enjoyed by the roman soldiers. Most people of that time were stuck eating grains and perhaps some figs. But then again, they were serving the greatest empire that had ever been seen at that time.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Absolutely. Roman soldiers certainly ate better than the provincials they liked to exploit

[@ldubt4494]

​@@TopRomanFacts By the time of the empire, there was no exploiting anymore. That was a problem of the republican era.

[@TopRomanFacts]

@ldubt4494 I'm afraid not. Plenty of Imperial examples of exploiting the locals

[@ldubt4494]

@@TopRomanFacts in the imperial times, sense of romanness extended to all conquered, which culminated in the Edition of caracalla which gave all free inhabitants of the empire citizenship, no matter if they were egyptian, italian, or brythonic. Its also the reason why revolts mostly stopped happening. (Except the jews)

[@cristhianramirez6939]

@@TopRomanFacts Whats a little exploting when you are spreading civilization?

[@sirianfelixbrightonesquire3247]

Some of these dudes sounded like they were on their side quest

[@TopRomanFacts]

Haha! Just Romans living their lives

[@alyssasteps]

Hahaha agree

[@AnnoyingCritic-is7rp]

The oldest texts ever written? No mention of Marcus Aurelius, Cicero, Plato or Aristotle? No Paul? No battlefield descriptions? No mention of Cesar? No introspection - like 'what are we doing here?'

[@TopRomanFacts]

Read the description for clarification

[@berndstromberg1586]

Great to see a video about this topic. As I have written my Bachelor Thesis on this topic, I want to add a few things: 1. Although the Garrison of Vindolanda was part of the roman army, they were not of roman decent. In that timeframe the troops stationes there were auxilliari cohorts of the Batavians and Tungrians, which came from todays Netherlands. Even when the tablets were written in Latin, it was not their first language. 2. 0:33 Cerialis was not a soldier, but the Prefect of the Garrison 3. The guy that got beaten up was not a soldier, he was a merchant from overseas. It is not clear from where he came, but he was no roman citizen nor was he a Brit how he stated in his letter. He complained that he got beaten even though he was not a Brit, which implies that the Britons treated worse than other foreigners. But what is most fascinating about this letter is, that it was addressed directly to the Emporer Hadrian who resided in Vindolanda for a while, while the Hadrians wall was built. But most likely the letter never reached Hadrian, as it was found in the centurions block. It is possible that they gave him another beating for that letter. 4. The merchant that bought 5000 moddi of ears of corn and needs money desperately could very well be the same guy that got beaten up (I forgot if it was because of the similar handwriting or because it was on the other side of the same tablet). Judging on the risky deals this guy made, it seems not impossible that a guy like that might get himself in trouble.

[@primrosed2338]

"I wish you may enjoy the best of fortune" may be my new sign-out message.

[@Incorruptus1]

Wow! Thank you so much for uploading/producing.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for the comment!

[@benketengu]

Thank you so much this is the kind of thing I like to learn about.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Great, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've got another video about Roman curse tablets you may also enjoy

[@Ghenesa]

crazy that we have this

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yep. It's such a shame to think about howuch organic material has been lost though

[@rayloobzer298]

Thanks for this. It reminds us that even thousands of years ago, these people were no different from us.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for the comment!

[@TheXaminedLife]

Roman soldiers could read and write to each other and even to slaves. This is the first time I've heard of people in this level of society being literate. It's interesting, surprising.

[@colinhunt4057]

Roman soldiers had to be able to read, write and count to qualify as centurions. Regardless of how short the army may have been at times of qualified NCOs, centurions and a number of other senior ranks such as tesserarri and optiones had to have the same basic skills of literacy and numeracy as a condition of rank. The Roman army was run by its NCOs who were all long-service professional serving under the eagles for up to 25 years. Hands down, the Roman army was the most experienced military the world had ever seen. Nothing else came remotely close to it, before or after. It's like would never be seen again until the 19th century in terms of professional experience of its rank and file.

[@ldubt4494]

Roman empire had one of the highest literacy rates in pre modern times. This was not limited to the military. But it was more widespread in the cities. Proficiency though varied a lot, some might have taken their time to write and read those letters.

[@tweezerjam]

Dude these are cool as hell. Why don’t you have more subs? I don’t get it. Subbed 👍🏼

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@Alienalloy]

the concept of the written word is one of the most over looked inventions i hold dear, how it can take a thought, an idea, an emotion, and place it on paper, then transport that thought, emotion, thousands of years in to the future ...still amazes me

[@malabuha]

I thought that literacy was scarce 2000 years ago, but here we have soldiers and their mothers conversing back and forth. I guess i was wrong. Fascinating

[@randomvintagefilm273]

I would love to hear ALL the letters.

[@angelamary9493]

Me too 🙂

[@davidevans3227]

i've heard about these letters, voices just like ours, from so long ago, so it's really great to actually hear some.. thankyou for sharing this... is there more? 🙂

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for your kind comment!

[@scottpreston5074]

In human way they are still with us.

[@alanfoster6589]

When decades ago I first visited the JP Getty museum in Malibu, my favorite item therein was not some massive marble statue or old master painting but rather a small bronze tablet in a back cabinet. It said, roughly, "Publius Severus Cassus (I forget the actual name): fourth legion, second maniple, third cohort, is hereby....etc. etc. It was an official discharge form from the Roman army, thanking the soldier in question for his service and awarding him his plot of land in (now) Italy. Suddenly 2000 years dropped away.

[@JamesMartinelli-jr9mh]

As I am studying Latin I'd like to read the original scripts. Where could I find them?

[@TopRomanFacts]

Go to the website in the video description. All are available there. Good luck with the Latin!

[@berndstromberg1586]

The issue with that is, it is completely different than classical Latin. There are so many words that no one even knew before the tablets were found and they had to find out what could be meant. Also they are very fragmented, so most of them have huge gaps and some only a few words.

[@TonyBraun]

There's some good books on the uncovered graffiti at Pompeii (70 CE)........there was a pending local election and a lot of comments. Also a lot of the shop signage has survived.......interesting view into ordinary lives.......It appears that a lot of people could read and write.

[@yates6608]

Imagine travelling on them bumpy roads 2000 years ago, if they were worried about injuring the animals then they must mave been one hell of a bumpy ride, its incredible listening to and know that people back then were just like us today, amazing

[@alfredspic481]

This is the coolest ever, im a Marine Combat Vet. N ehen we were in bootcamp all we could do is write letters back home. Oh how i would write n write to everyone i could trying to grasp kust a bit of the world i left behind 😢😂..

[@abestm8]

Excellent, would love to see more of this. I did like the different take on 'The Hides of March' though. 4:46 and before anyone replies, it was a joke OK, Beware the Ides lol.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Haha, I'll make a part 2 soon

[@philipdee1415]

Nice one!

[@DATo_DATonian]

Good one !!! 😄

[@branscombeR]

For those who don't know: Wikipedia - 'The Ides of March ... is the 74th day in the Roman calendar, corresponding to 15 March.' R (Australia) Fun fact: I used to live on a farm just 20 minutes on foot from Vindolanda and got to see some of the tablets when they were first discovered ...

[@dennisjones0081]

Outstanding!!!!!! I was just teleported back in time 2000 years. And to think I hated history when I was young - now I can’t get enough. These are marvelous.

[@TopRomanFacts]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@LeicaM11]

Great,,to see those original,footages from 2000 years ago. Stunning 😄

[@jharchery4117]

So, they were just as boring 2000 years ago as we are today. Nothing is new, under the sun.

[@folgore1]

Neat hearing the things they discussed in letters. Also, it gives insight into how common literacy was among Romans.

[@AbAb-th5qe]

The coolest thing about these is it's like phone text messages were found 2000 years later :) Not the voices of kings, but those of ordinary randos.

[@alexaez2946]

I could never wrote such a beautiful letter

[@TopRomanFacts]

Haha I'm sure you could

[@Design_no]

As an Aussie ive visited Vindolanda twice now. Fantastic place.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Absolutely

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Very interestimg. They had the same oroblems we do today. Paying bills and makimg a livimg.. ❤

[@TopRomanFacts]

And chatting to friends and family!

[@voyaristika5673]

Showing times change but people don't. So interesting. Thank you!

[@BigTrees4ever]

Pontus Pilate wrote some letters too. One of them describes meeting Jesus and his holiness. Primary source material for proof of Christ’s life. Look it up, they lie and say there’s no evidence he existed but we literally have multiple primary sources including parts of apocrypha.

[@inventgineer]

Genuine question: but was Pontius Pilot like one of the many authors of the books in the Bible that were proven to be liars when it came to talking about Jesus and events he was involved in, where they happened, etc? Because to the best of my understanding there are a NUMBER of sources CLAIMING things relating to Jesus and his existence, but the difficulty lies in that a number of them were proved out-and-out liars on the topic, in a sad sad attempt to seem mystic or important, and whose word cannot be taken to mean much t'all on the subject as a result. I'm only hoping we have no reason to lump Pilot in with those shameless barbarians.

[@yoda5280]

Jesus was a real person, his cult was / is fake.

[@cristhianramirez6939]

@@yoda5280 Your brain is fake

[@itsme5633]

Beautiful! Correction: they aren't the oldest. Egyptian handwritten pieces are much more ancient

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yeah, when they were discovered, they were the oldest handwritten texts found in Britain and the oldest in Latin

[@Itskal3]

And to think China has been using paper since 100 AD…and the Europeans only came upon it a thousand year later.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yeah and the Romans used almost everything to write upon: bones, pottery, and scraps of wood

[@HollyMoore-wo2mh]

Wood would make it from one station to another better than paper. Paper flies away much easier than wood. AND you can wrap it up and put in a package better.

[@patrickkelly6691]

Caesar used paper and it was cut and sewn into 'Codex' - early books. so they had paper over 30 years before the Republic 'fell'' . But it was way too expensive for 'common use' like letters. Wood would aso travel well.

[@gabriellima7900]

​@@patrickkelly6691 Caesar used papyrus not paper.

[@emiriebois2428]

​@@HollyMoore-wo2mh So why was it replaced by paper ???

[@megapangolin1093]

Bad roads then, bad roads now, some things never change. Shame it takes more than 2000 years to get good roads. Great video.

[@jaykay5580]

any letters from crispus baconus? we were old pals.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Tasty

[@elitealice]

I love history like this. It can be easy to get caught up in the grandeur of it, but at the end of the day these people were just normal people like us with hopes and dreams

[@thecocktailian2091]

I find it most curious that the letters are all so very formal and plainly matter of fact. No embellishments, and the only warmth being at the end wishing the receiver good fortunes. I wonder if this was uniform way of writing in the era, or if it was simply these were soldiers letters?

[@TopRomanFacts]

That's true, but I suspect a lot of it is due to how formal Latin sounds when it's translated into English

[@mryan4452]

From googling it there Roman postal system was reserved mainly to military and for tax affairs. So I suspect they weren't engaging in chit chat, serious matters only? Not like today, we have all sorts of quick and easy communication means.

[@jimparsons6803]

Heard about this Roman fort on PBS a few years ago. The final comment or summation was that the various solders were giving their lives in this particular way to support the Roman Empire. And that they were sort of playing this little 'game' that fritters away their lives, but the 'game' is what the Empire was about. Y' see why PBS is so profound?

[@TopRomanFacts]

What's the documentary called? I'll have to give it a watch

[@Georgian1717]

They are not the oldest written text! The earliest confirmed form of writing is recorded on a limestone tablet, known as the Kish tablet, which dates to around 3,500 BCE. The tablet was found on the site of an ancient Sumerian city called Kish, which is located in modern-day Iraq.

[@TopRomanFacts]

You are right. I clarify what I said in the video description

[@brettsairgent577]

That was brilliant I could listen to those letters all day ,who would of thought we could be reading two thousand year old letters and even grocery lists amazing .

[@TopRomanFacts]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@charliehovey4534]

what facenatse me is that 2000 years or over ago we where useing the term cash. i thought that term only came out like in the 1700 to 1800. wow you learn new things every day

[@lisarak8639]

Ego sum pauper agricola...

[@TopRomanFacts]

👨‍🌾

[@josephc7362]

Ha, ha!

[@josephc7362]

Gallia est divisa in partis tris....

[@rcrawford42]

It sounds like Cerialus was being detached to serve alongside the governor's staff, and his friends were looking for him to put in a good word for them.

[@GregoryPrimosch]

There is a misspelling where “know” is transcribed as “no”, it seems to me.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Curse the computer

[@steveoh9285]

Imagine a future society viewing our emails: “Dearest They/Them, I went to my new job today but quit after 5 minutes because my boss asked why my hair was purple (it’s actually blue) and why was I wearing a BLM t-shirt. I filled a workplace harassment complaint and expect a large cash settlement any day now. Yesterday, I saw a toxic male in the grocery store wearing a red cardinal ball-cap and I just had to call him out as a MAGA sympathizer. He tried to distract me with some baseball talk nonsense, but of course I didn’t listen! Naturally I took a video of me screaming at him (haha) which I then posted to TikTok; it already has 31 likes (I am SO happy)! And to answer the question I KNOW is on your mind, I tipped the scales at exactly 350 pounds tonight. It must have been all the tofu and seaweed I had for lunch! Since I am gender-fluid and feeling feminine at the moment, I will sign-off as my born burden (a woman). Luv ‘ya!, Denise of the Unicorn Vale

[@NPC-bs3pm]

At one point in time people made a big deal out of Plato's "Atlantis" but now... Future: "What is this 'Unicorn Vale' that is spoken of? We should proceed to search the ancient ruins of this society, until we find it❗"

[@peecee1384]

I wonder if, when those men wrote those letters, they had any idea that 2000 years later you would be reading them to us. I feel a bit sad to think of how long ago their lives were.

[@TopRomanFacts]

I think they'd like the thought - the Romans wanted people to say their names long after they passes

[@TopRomanFacts]

I think they'd like the thought - the Romans wanted people to say their names long after they passed

[@johnmcgraw3568]

Can you imagine if 2000 years from now someone fires up an old server and sees YT thread comments?😂

[@TopRomanFacts]

@@johnmcgraw3568 I dread to think what utter nonsense they will read

[@ankitbhattacharjee4820]

The earliest confirmed form of writing is recorded on a limestone tablet, known as the Kish tablet, which dates to around 3,500 BCE. The tablet was found on the site of an ancient Sumerian city called Kish, which is located in modern-day Iraq

[@TopRomanFacts]

Please read the description

[@cristhianramirez6939]

What Bot ahh comment

[@Whoami691]

Same problems, different era. But that one about the soldier beaten by other soldiers was just sad.

[@leaf16nut]

That last letter must have taken an entire tree to write 😂

[@dano3952]

I like the one where the soldier requested a package of KY jelly be sent to him.

[@daveycrocket4873]

Do you have more letters? Would love to hear more Very interesting

[@TopRomanFacts]

There are plenty more. Make sure to subscribe because plenty more is on the way

[@johngaither9263]

It's amazing how similar the people then were in their wants, needs and emotions to us today, Their surroundings made no difference to them since it was all they knew.

[@zanthimos]

Roman 2k ago: I've got 99 problems and most of that is because I'm broke. Hurry up and wire me the rest. Cash only you stingy bastard!

[@TopRomanFacts]

Get that man a bag of denarii

[@lexirae7889]

People back then suffered & squabbled over matters that modern humans do, as well.. it's both comforting & harrowing to see just how little has changed for the average person in 2500 yrs

[@leaf16nut]

Hulk Hogan is a Roman time traveller, brother, nothing and no one can change my mind

[@lonl123]

I'm sure being posted to that wall, might as well as been like being posted to Antarctica....a strange savage land, filled with quite a large number of people who would only want to see you gone or dead. It was probably a very lonely and difficult posting for someone who had known the pleasures of Rome. I can almost feel like they did over the centuries....When I was in Somalia, all I could think about is how much I wanted to get the hell out of there...I'm sure the Legionnaires felt the same way.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Miles from home, poor chaps! Thanks for the comment

[@delbertstringbreaker7686]

What is so amazing is the level of literacy!

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yes absolutely! Everyone in the Roman army at least knew someone who was literate

[@annehat4833]

@@TopRomanFacts and you know that for a fact ....because ??

[@colinhunt4057]

@delbertstringbreaker7686 Literacy was required in the Roman army for all centurions and junior officers. They had to read and write and have basic numeracy as a condition of holding their NCO rank. This mattered, because the Roman army was run by its centurions as its long-service professionals. Being literate was the only way to be promoted out of being just a soldier of the line. This was required for the centurions of the auxiliary cohorts as well as the legionaries.

[@Bluesidian]

Oh how i love the spoken words of days of old.

[@sgtellioman]

Pretty cool. My letters home were a bit dirty and Id be quite embarrassed if they were read out loud.

[@Camille-cu3cb]

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT WELL DONE SUPERB ❤

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thank you very much!

[@lisacraze1]

Very cool. Thanks for this!

[@TopRomanFacts]

Thanks for the comment!

[@rogerscottcathey]

What suddenly happened so as to drive them off leaving so much behind?

[@Minchya]

Interesting how much they convey best wishes and good sentiments to their friends.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Yes absolutely. It's very sweet

[@sebastienlacombre6582]

Magnifique. C'est un véritable trésor. Peut être l'un des plus précieux au monde

[@hillbillychic8417]

Words from centuries ago, reminds us how fleeting time is.

[@ryanhampson673]

Some of those could have been from a quartermaster or maybe a merchant outside the Roman camps procuring supplies for the troops or sticking up to sell to the military.

[@carloscollomps1552]

Amazing that they had a proper mail system back then, so letters can reach the recipients with precision.

[@colinhunt4057]

It would take time. But hundreds of ships were crossing the English Channel and the Mediterranean on a daily basis. The huge rivers of Europe, the Rhine and the Danube had a host of barge traffic up and down them constantly. Roman roads were for the rapid movement of troops. The great rivers of Europe, those two plus the Rhone in France and the Ebro in Spain, were for the transport of cargo by the many thousands of tonnes daily. The city of Rome was importing at least 53 million amphorae (70 liters each) of olive oil annually along with a minimum of 200,000 tonnes of grain from Tunisia, Egypt and the Chersonesus.

[@carloscollomps1552]

Great info, Thanks!@@colinhunt4057

[@francescobalboni5189]

2000 years to deliver a letter!!!! It is obvious that the ancient Romans are the ancestors of today's Italians . I say this as an Italian who knows the delivery times of the Italian post office well.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Haha. Whenever I'm in Rome I always send via the Vatican to actually get my mail delivered 🇻🇦

[@mason2800]

We pray, brother ✝️.

[@pocholiss]

This is truly impressive.

[@MrAllmightyCornholioz]

Did they write using British or American English?

[@TopRomanFacts]

I'll let you figure that out!

[@zinaustro]

What's with the corn? Corn/maize is a new world food. I know in the UK corn is a generic term for grains, but "ears" makes it sound like actual maize corn.

[@Steve-bm3vd]

I remember this from many years ago when we voted it as Britain's greatest treasure. My favourite was the locals charging too much for the carts, complaints about the roads and hurry up because they have run out of wine/beer

[@sabinorinelli3124]

Letters are so full of humanity and still vibrating real life after 2000 years. What will remain from our internet messages in future ???

[@TopRomanFacts]

I fear that we'll lose everything digital and only what is physical will remain

[@markhuru]

This makes me think how we as humans who do not have a choice as when to be, we all have just a small slot in time to exist. Some shorter than others will and did. Make well that moment in time.

[@TopRomanFacts]

Well said!