Roman graffiti – voice of ordinary people from centuries ago
Graffiti of Marcus Attilius in Pompeii
On the walls of ancient Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other Roman cities, archaeologists have discovered thousands of inscriptions that offer a glimpse into the daily lives of the empire’s inhabitants. These are the so-called graffiti – short notes, political slogans, love confessions, and even insults. Unlike monumental inscriptions dedicated to emperors, these drawings and writings let us hear the authentic, often humorous voice of ordinary Romans.
The graffiti preserved on the walls of Pompeii reveal an extraordinary variety of themes. Among them one can find advertisements for gladiatorial games, jokes, lists of debtors, and even rhymed insults. In one inscription, a resident complains: Hospes, hic ego sum: miser sum, quia scabiem habeo – that is, “Stranger, here I am: I am miserable, because I have scabies.” Others, by contrast, are romantic declarations such as: Voluptas cum amica est vita (“Pleasure is life with a beloved”).
Interestingly, graffiti was created not only in private houses, but also in public baths and near theaters. Sometimes it took the form of political propaganda, for example, calls to support a particular candidate in local elections. Thanks to this, today we can experience the atmosphere of social life in Roman provincial towns with remarkable immediacy.
