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Ancient Letter Basics
- Ancient letters typically were personal messages sent from one person to another on portable materials like papyrus.
- They followed conventions like greetings and blessings, transmitting messages across distances in the ancient world.
Roman Soldier's Brief Letter Example
- A Roman soldier's letter from 1 BC illustrates how brief and practical personal letters could be.
- The letter includes military updates, family requests, and heartfelt personal notes in under 100 words.
Papyrus and Scribes in Letters
- Papyrus was the common material for letters, made from a plant in Egypt, often reused for economic reasons.
- Ancient letters were mostly short, under 100 words, often dictated to scribes who wrote on the author's behalf.