Reading the Writing on Pompeii’s Walls

Smithstonian ^ | 7/27/2010 | Kristin Ohlson

[fieldmarshaldj]

“Kilroy Was Here.”

[Sacajaweau]

Maggie...Went for bread....Back Soon.. Harold

Maggie...Leaving for Rome. Back soon. Your Friend, Jezebel

Hmmmm...Can Maggie read the writing on the wall??

[RnMomof7]

That is much nicer than the graffiti here in my city

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Felicter Pompeii?

Maybe going fast in a day is good luck?

[pennyfarmer]

When I was in Pompeii they showed us the scratchings on the wall in the brothel. The tour guide said they were the names and prices of the girls in the room.

[Pontiac]

On the book’s introductory page, an epigram taken from a wall in Pompeii speaks to the multitude of graffiti in the ancient world: “I’m amazed, O wall, that you have not fallen in ruins, you who support the tediousness of so many writers.”

If the archives of FreeRepublic should still exist in 2000 years I think that some archeologist would think the same of this wall on which we all write.

[gulfcoast6]

Most interesting

[LibFreeOrDie]

‘the word ‘felicter,’ which means ‘happily.’

Feliciter means happily. Spelling boo-boo?

[LibFreeOrDie]

“For a good time, call Messalina VVV-IIII.”

[Focault's Pendulum]

Maius Castricius

A self inflicted eunuch...perhaps?

[Verginius Rufus]

“Cilroius erat hoc loco.”

[JPG]

Helen T...$1.00.

[AnAmericanMother]

The 19th century effort to document ancient graffiti notwithstanding, scholars have historically ignored the phenomenon.

Simply not true. I took my Classical Archaeology classes back in the mid-70s. The Roman graffiti (best preserved at Pompeii and Herculaneum but also found elsewhere) were discussed at some length.

A notable example is a graffito in a bathroom in Herculaneum . . . "Apollinaris medicus Titi imperatoris hic cacavit bene." . . . "Apollinaris, physician to the Emperor Titus, here s*****d well." Unanswered question during the course: "Was the jolly Dr. Apollinaris caught by the eruption . . . in the latrine?"

[AnAmericanMother]

The illustration is not of graffiti, by the way.

Those are signs painted on a public wall . . . usually done by politicians campaigning for local offices. They are full of abbreviations and I can never figure out exactly what they are doing, other than the names . . . .

[Snickering Hound]

It says "Romans go home".

[Sacajaweau]

“happily”....like Gay???

[Sacajaweau]

Graffito in the bathroom....

Helena at Step 4, Rock 3, Door 5

[Hoodat]

Romani ite domum

[AnAmericanMother]

I'm able to figure out the one in the middle.

He's running for duumvir (magistrate) and is touted as "D.R.P." i.e. "dignum rei publicae" (worthy of public office).