Real letter from a Roman soldier Written in the second century by a kid named Apion from a small town in Egypt. He enlisted in the Roman army at Alexandria, got on a big government ship, and sailed to Italy. The ship made it through a terrible storm. As soon as he landed and got his new uniform and pay, he went to have his picture painted for his family and sent it home along with this letter: Apion to his father and lord Epimachos: Many good wishes! First of all I hope you are in good health and that things are going well for you and my sister and her daughter and my brother. I thank the Lord Serapis [an Egyptian god] for saving me right off when I was in danger at sea. When I arrived at Misenum [the Roman war harbor, near Naples], I received three gold pieces from the Emperor [Trajan?] as road money, and I’m doing just fine. Please write me a line, my lord father, about your own well-being, second about that of my brother and sister, and third so that I may de...