A Roman writing tablet found in the mud. Photo: MOLA / Atlas Obscura

On January 8, 57 AD, Tibullus, a freed slave in London, promised to repay 105 denarii, a hefty sum, to another freed slave named Gratus. Meanwhile, one friend admonished another that he’s lent too much money and is being gossiped about. And a merchant was making a desperate plea for repayment of debts owed to him.

We know all this, thanks to an archeological treasure recently unearthed, as reported by Atlas Obscura: over 400 writing tablets that document financial transactions that are the oldest handwritten documents discovered in England.

Notekeeping, the Roman Way

Image: Erik Kwakkel / British Museum: Wooden shaft with nib excavated at Vindolanda (late Antique)

As befits a business people, Romans founded London around 40 AD in order to facilitate commerce. And commerce means records. When recording something for posterity, the Romans used

A book of poems upon his grave

Could not the poet save.

The few his words touched

Failed to keep him from the dust.

Let me tell you a story happened  20 years ago which changed my life. Me and my friends were living peacefully. Cool breeze, birds singing on our branches, children playing around us. Everything was going well, except the monsoons which are hard due to the river beside… 

Well one day everything changed.. The land owner decided to make a house. He needed wood for making doors. We came to know about this from the conversation between land owner and the woodcutter.
Well,we were all afraid… The woodcutter said he will come after four days to kill us….All of us started crying except the one next to me…The Oak. He was smiling. I asked him,
“Why are you smiling? We all are going to die in four days and you are smiling. What’s wrong with you?”

The Oak was two years  elder than me. He wasn’t so strong in physique but …