Vindolanda, northern Britain, around AD 100: thin wooden writing tablets from a fort near what became Hadrian Wall preserve the everyday lives of soldiers and their families, including a birthday invitation
Invitation Sent Across the Frontier
VINDOLANDA, northern Britain, around AD 100 – Claudia Severa, wife of Aelius Brocchus, the commander of a Roman fort in the north of Britain, has written to her friend Sulpicia Lepidina, wife of Flavius Cerialis, commander of the fort at Vindolanda, inviting her to her birthday celebration on the third day before the Ides of September, 11 September. The letter, written by a scribe, ends with a few lines in Claudia own hand, wishing her sister, as she affectionately calls her friend, farewell. Officials describe the letter as routine correspondence. Historians describe it as one of the most precious documents from Roman Britain.
The Tablets
The letter is one of hundreds of documents known as the Vindolanda tablets, discovered from 1973 onwards by archaeologists led by Robin Birley at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, in Northumberland, just south of the line of Hadrian Wall. They are thin slivers of wood, about the size of a postcard, written in ink. They survived because they were thrown away and buried in damp, oxygen-poor layers of earth that preserved them for nearly two thousand years. Many date from around AD 90 to 120, slightly before the construction of the wall itself.
The tablets include military reports, lists of supplies, accounts, requests for leave and private letters. Claudia Severa birthday invitation is thought to be among the earliest known examples of writing in Latin by a woman, in her own handwriting.
Everyday Life on the Frontier
The tablets reveal the ordinary details of life on the edge of the Roman Empire. One letter mentions a parcel containing socks, two pairs of sandals and two pairs of underpants sent to a soldier. Another, from a soldier, complains that his men have no beer and asks for more to be sent. Lists record food including oysters, venison, spices and wine. One report uses a dismissive term for the local Britons, Brittunculi, often translated as wretched little Britons, describing them as fighting without armour.
Hadrian Wall
A couple of decades later, around AD 122, the emperor Hadrian visited Britain and ordered the construction of a great wall across the north of the province, about one hundred and seventeen kilometres long, from the River Tyne in the east to the Solway Firth in the west. It was built mainly by legionary soldiers, with forts, milecastles and turrets along its length. Historians debate its exact purpose: defence against northern tribes, controlling movement and trade, collecting customs or simply displaying Roman power. It was used for nearly three centuries. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular walking route.
Excavations at Vindolanda continue each summer, with volunteers from around the world, and new tablets and objects, including shoes, combs and children toys, are still being found. Many of the tablets are held by the British Museum.
Meanwhile, in 2026
Family letters still reveal far more than official records. The London Prat reports Prince William reportedly calling Earl Spencer and Harry traitors after an anonymous source claimed the heir believes his brother read their uncle memoir first. Reports say reconciliation is off, and the uncle says he told everyone. Historians note that a simple birthday invitation from two thousand years ago is now treasured because it shows friendship across distance, and suggest that families might send more invitations and fewer briefings.
The London Prat has been sending invitations since 1961 at https://prat.uk/, with its royal row video on YouTube. Bohiney at https://bohiney.com/ covers American archaeology.
Study Questions for Students
Why did the Vindolanda tablets survive? What do they reveal about life in Roman Britain? Why was Hadrian Wall built? Discuss, and send someone a birthday invitation.
SOURCE: https://prat.uk/prince-william-called-earl-spencer-and-harry-traitors/