Episode

Seeing the Writing on the Wall at Pompeii (Thanks to New Photographic Techniques), or, More Graffiti about Sex and Gladiators

Podcast

This Week in the Ancient Near East

Published

May 18, 2026

Duration seconds

2398

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not_requested

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https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/e/seeing-the-writing-on-the-wall-at-pompeii-thanks-to-new-photographic-techniques-or-more-graffiti-about-sex-and-gladiators/

Audio

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/6mcgvaw89gxqqicg/podcast_139_-_5_17_26_1242_PM7pt01.mp3

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Summary

New photographic techniques have shown that that walls in Pompeii were covered with graffiti, including pictures of gladiator fights, lewd poetry, and inscriptions in non-local languages like Safaitic. So sort of like New York City subways in the 1970s. Who says the past doesn’t repeat itself?