Claudius Terentianus was an Egyptian enrolled in the
Roman army
The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval contin ...
. He was the author of a number of
papyrus
Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, '' Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'') can also refer to a ...
-letters, mostly addressed to his father
Claudius Tiberianus Claudius Tiberianus was a second-century Roman legionary soldier in Egypt, the recipient of a number of papyrus letters which were rediscovered in the twentieth century.
The archive of Claudius Tiberianus was partially published in the eighth volum ...
, a veteran settled in
Karanis
Karanis ( grc-koi, Καρανίς), located in what is now Kom Oshim, was an agricultural town in the Ptolemaic Kingdom, and Roman Egypt located in the northeast corner of the Faiyum. It was roughly 60 hectares in size and its peak population is ...
.
Military service
Claudius Terentianus enlisted in the ''
classis Alexandriae'' (Alexandrian fleet) sometime around 110 AD. He complained about life in the fleet, and subsequently transferred to a legion. He was deployed to Syria, possibly in relation to
Trajan
Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...
's Parthian campaign, and was wounded quelling civic unrest in Alexandria. He was discharged in 136 AD, and likely settled in the village of Karanis.
Family
Claudius Terentianus repeatedly refers to Claudius Tiberianus as his father. While a few scholars think this may be an honorary title, most believe that Terentianus is Tiberianus' biological son (both do share the same ''nomen''). Terentianus also calls another man named Ptolemaios "father" (P Mich 5393); this is likely an honorary designator, although Ptolemaios may be his uncle by marriage. Terentianus also refers to a woman he calls his "mother" living in Alexandria, who is most likely his aunt Tabetheus. If she is the same woman who addresses Claudius Tiberianus as "brother" in P. Mich 5403, then she was living in Alexandria near where Terentianus was stationed. The same letter mentions that Terentianus had a brother named Isidoros and a sister named Segathis, who are being cared for by the aunt in Alexandria. It may be that Tiberianus was a widower, and entrusted his children to his sister in Alexandria while he was occupied with his own military career.
Letter highlights
P Michigan 5390 Results of a shopping spree in Alexandria; request for new boots.
P Michigan 5391 Terentianus recounts his enlistment in the fleet, and requests military equipment.
P Michigan 5393 Dispute with Ptolemaios, his "father," addressed to Claudius Terentianus, his father.
P Michigan 5400 A Riot in Alexandria, Terentianus is wounded. Possibly connected to the diaspora revolt of 115-117 AD.
References
*Adams, J. N. ''The Vulgar Latin of the Letters of Claudius Terentianus. (P. Mich. VIII 467-72.'' Manchester, 1977.
* Lewis, N. "A Veteran in Quest of a Home." ''
''. 90 (1959) pp. 139–146.
* Strassi, S. "L'archivio di Claudius Tiberianus da Karanis," ''Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete''. Beiheft: 26, Berlin, 2008.
* Taylor, Michael J. "The Papyrus Letters of Claudius Terentianus: A Voice from Egypt." ''Ancient Warfare Magazine'', V.5, 2011.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Terentianus, Claudius
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
Ancient Roman soldiers
Romans from Africa
2nd-century Egyptian people
2nd-century writers
Ancient Roman writers
Ancient letter writers
Claudii