Claudia Severa

[3] The first part of the letter was written in formal style in a professional hand evidently by a scribe; the last four lines are added in a different handwriting, thought to be Claudia's own.

[7] In particular, they share several thematic and stylistic features with other surviving writings in Latin by women from Greek and Roman antiquity.

[7] In the post-script written in her own hand, she appears to draw on another Latin, literary model, from the fourth book of the Aeneid, in which at 4.8 Vergil characterises Anna as Dido's unanimam sororem, "sister sharing a soul", and at 4.31, she is "cherished more than life" (luce magis dilecta sorori).

[7] Although this is not proof that Severa and Lepidina were familiar with Virgil's writing, another letter in the archive, written between two men, directly quotes a line from the Aeneid, suggesting that the sentiments and language Sulpicia used do indeed draw on a Virgilian influence.

[8][7] The Latin word that was chosen to describe the birthday festivities, sollemnis, is also noteworthy, as it means "ceremonial, solemn, performed in accordance with the forms of religion", and suggests that Severa has invited Lepidina to what was an important annual religious occasion.