A
fragment of the left-hand portion of a leaf containing the beginning of a
letter from Placidus to Cerialis. The name of the writer, which is an extremely
common one, does not occur elsewhere in the Vindolanda tablets. The leaf is
complete at the left which means that there was no gentilicium.
Noteworthy features of the hand are the form of r with a
foot which bends to the left at almost a right-angle to the descender, and p with a
closed loop and a noticeable foot, with which the writer begins the letter (see
Tab.Vindol.I, p.66 and above, p.51); since the more normal cursive
form is used in line 3, it is obvious that the intention was to give the
opening of the letter a more ornate appearance.