Ancient Graffiti of Gladiators Found at Pompeii!

Archaeologists have made an exciting discovery at the Casa del Cenacolo Colonnato enclosure in Pompeii: ancient graffiti depicting gladiators. This finding adds another layer to our understanding of life in this ancient Roman city.

Pompeii, situated near modern Naples, Italy, was buried under 4 to 6 metres of volcanic ash and pumice during the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Along with the nearby town of Herculaneum, Pompeii remained hidden for centuries, preserving a snapshot of Roman life.

Photo Credit: POMPEII

Recent excavations at the Casa del Cenacolo Colonnato on Via dell’Abbondanza have revealed graffiti drawings made by children using charcoal. These drawings, likely created just before the volcanic eruption, depict various scenes involving Roman gladiators.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the Director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, highlighted the significance of these findings. He suggested that the children who lived in the complex must have been exposed to the intense and violent spectacles of the amphitheatre. "The drawings show us the impact of this violence on the imagination of a young boy or girl, subject to the same developmental stages that are still found today," Zuchtriegel explained.

The archaeologists discovered that a corridor adjacent to a service courtyard featured drawings of two gladiators confronting each other and a hunting game, known as a venatio, with two bestiarii armed with spears. Additionally, in an area used for storing amphorae, more drawings were found, including two figures playing with a ball, a wild boar, and a boxing scene. One boxing scene even depicts a knock-out, though it has been partly obscured by whitewash and was drawn with a red mineral pigment.

These discoveries provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives and imaginations of the children of Pompeii, revealing how deeply the culture of gladiatorial combat permeated their world. The ancient graffiti serves as a poignant reminder of the human stories that lay beneath the ash, frozen in time by the eruption that ultimately preserved them.