56 Vindolanda 233 

This diptych contains a draft of a letter from Flavius Cerialis, Prefect of the Ninth Cohort, to his friend Brocchus asking for some hunting-nets or snares. Written across the grain is a list of foodstuffs. The list of food was likely written first by a member of Cerialis’ staff and the tablet was then recycled by a scribe for the draft of Cerialis’ request.

Text 

alicās

callum 

ungellās

Flāuius Ceriālis Brocchō

suō salūtem

sī mē amās frāter rogō

mittās mihi plāgās…

Commentariolum

2 callum: “crackling” was the crisp, fatty skin of roast pork. 

3 ungellās: “trotters” or edible pig’s feet.

4 Flāuius Ceriālis: the best-known figure at Vindolanda, an equestrian and prefect of the ninth cohort of Batavians around 100 CE, who wrote over 80 of the surviving letters. His praenomen, Flāvius, suggests that he or his father gained his Roman citizenship during the reign of Vespasian, perhaps for loyalty during the Batavian revolt (69-70 CE).

Brocchō: Aelius Brocchus likely commanded a nearby fort; he probably later commanded a cavalry unit in Pannonia (Hungary).

6 frāter: certainly symbolic for friendship.