These
two fragments contain a draft by the hand identified as that of Cerialis. It is
evident from the physical characteristics of the wood that they belong
together, probably to half of a diptych, but they do not join. If the hand
really is that of Cerialis (see [225], introduction), the
reference to Cerialis mei in b.2 presents problems of interpretation.
The easiest solution is to suppose that Flavius Cerialis is writing about his
son who is also called Cerialis. If the reference is to the prefect himself,
the letter must be from Lepidina and so we must either have the hand of an
amanuensis or, more probably, we must suppose that Cerialis drafted the letter
for his wife. There is not enough surviving text to give much clue to the
content. The substitution of ualetudinem for natalem in b.2 is
odd and it looks as though it may be part of an excuse; that is, the writer
cannot do something because of the birthday of Cerialis or, on second thoughts,
his state of health. This is not easy; in particular it is difficult to see how
to supply the negative which would be required with licuerit. The
celebration of birthdays plays a significant part in the social life of the
inhabitants of the praetorium in the frontier region (see [291]).