Instant Classics Roman Graffiti: The Writing on the Wall
Mar 26, 2026
Ancient street scribbles reveal everything from bawdy jokes and brothel notes to election slogans and price lists. They show children’s practice verses, parodying Virgil, and messy spellings that challenge interpretation. These writings act like an ancient social feed, offering fleeting, intimate glimpses of everyday Roman life.
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Pompeii Walls Reveal Everyday Roman Voices
- Graffiti gives an intimate, everyday voice of ancient Romans rather than elite literature.
- Mary Beard cites over 10,000 scratchings at Pompeii including names, boasts and jokes that make Romans feel familiarly human.
Graffiti As Roman Social Media
- Graffiti functioned like ancient social media and notes apps because towns lacked mass communication channels.
- Charlotte Higgins and Mary Beard compare wall-scratchings to Twitter/X and phone notes as everyday outlets for opinions.
Brothel Graffiti Shows Male Boasts And Visitor Patterns
- The brothel in Pompeii holds around 150 graffiti, many crude male boasts but also names and non-sexual notes.
- Mary Beard notes concentration near the entrance and inscriptions at standing height, implying quick visits and male authorship.
