Ancient letters were discovered in the animal cemetery in the south of Egypt, in Barnis, which were probably written by Roman centurions in the 1st century CE.
The cemetery was discovered in 2011 and since then, new, fantastic finds have been continuously discovered, including ceramics and the letters described on papyrus.
According to researchers, the correspondence dates back to the reign of Nero (54-68 CE). We managed to read several names that probably belonged to officers of the Roman army, including: Haosius, Lucynnius and Petronius. In one of the letters it was read that Petronius asked Lucinius, who was stationed in Barnis, about the prices of certain exclusive goods. Petronius also informs that he is sending money through a dromedarius, a Roman soldier traveling on a camel, and asks Lucinius for veal and tent poles.
So far, almost 100 animal remains have been discovered in the cemetery: cats, dogs, monkeys – macaques – which were imported from India.
