Thread by @visakanv

A thread of my favorite 2,000-year-old graffiti from Pompeii

Source: pompeiana.org/Resources/Anci…

Weep, you girls. My penis has given you up. Now it penetrates men’s behinds. Goodbye, wondrous femininity!

– I.2.20 (Bar/Brothel of Innulus and Papilio); 3932

Restitutus says: “Restituta, take off your tunic, please, and show us your hairy privates”.

– I.2.23 (peristyle of the Tavern of Verecundus); 3951

Amplicatus, I know that Icarus is buggering you. Salvius wrote this.

– I.4.5 (House of the Citharist; below a drawing of a man with a large nose); 2375

The finances officer of the emperor Nero says this food is poison.

– I.7.1 (in the vestibule of the House of Cuspius Pansa); 8075:

We two dear men, friends forever, were here. If you want to know our names, they are Gaius and Aulus.

– I.7.8 (bar; left of the door); 8162:

Lovers are like bees in that they live a honeyed life.

– II.2.1 (Bar of Astylus and Pardalus); 8408

I screwed the barmaid

– II.2.3 (Bar of Athictus; right of the door); 8442

Palmyra, the thirst-quencher

– II.4.1 (bar; left of the door, near a picture of Mercury); 8475

Floronius, privileged soldier of the 7th legion, was here. The women did not know of his presence. Only six women came to know, too few for such a stallion.

– II.7 (gladiator barracks); 8767

On April 19th, I made bread

– II.7 (gladiator barracks); 8792

Antiochus hung out here with his girlfriend Cithera

– II.7 (gladiator barracks); 8792b

To the one defecating here. Beware of the curse. If you look down on this curse, may you have an angry Jupiter for an enemy.

– III.5.1 (House of Pascius Hermes; left of the door); 7716

Theophilus, don’t perform oral sex on girls against the city wall like a dog

– III.5.3 (on the wall in the street); 8898

Whoever loves, let him flourish. Let him perish who knows not love. Let him perish twice over whoever forbids love.

– V.1.26 (House of Caecilius Iucundus); 4091

Aufidius was here. Goodbye

– V.3.9 (House of Cosmus and Epidia; right of the door); 6702

Defecator, may everything turn out okay so that you can leave this place

– V.5 (just outside the Vesuvius gate); 664

Marcus loves Spendusa

– V.5 (near the Vesuvius Gate); 7086

Celadus the Thracian gladiator is the delight of all the girls

– V.5.3 (barracks of the Julian-Claudian gladiators; column in the peristyle); 4289

The city block of the Arrii Pollii [...] is available to rent from July 1st. There are shops on the first floor, upper stories, high-class rooms and a house. A person interested in renting this property should contact Primus, the slave of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius. – VI.6.1

Cruel Lalagus, why do you not love me?

– VI.14 (vico degli Scienziati); 3042

I have buggered men

– VI.14.20 (House of Orpheus); 4523

Rufus loves Cornelia Hele

– VI.15.6 (House of Caesius Valens and Herennius Nardus); 4637

If anyone does not believe in Venus, they should gaze at my girl friend

– VI.16.15 (atrium of the House of Pinarius); 6842

I screwed a lot of girls here.

– VII.12.18-20 (the Lupinare); 2175:

A copper pot went missing from my shop. Anyone who returns it to me will be given 65 bronze coins (sestertii). 20 more will be given for information leading to the capture of the thief.

– VIII (Street of the Theaters); 64

No young buck is complete until he has fallen in love

– VIII.2 (in the basilica); 1797

A small problem gets larger if you ignore it.

– VIII.2 (in the basilica); 1811

Pyrrhus to his colleague Chius: I grieve because I hear you have died; and so farewell.

– VIII.2 (in the basilica); 1852

The man I am having dinner with is a barbarian.

– VIII.2 (in the basilica); 1880

O walls, you have held up so much tedious graffiti that I am amazed that you have not already collapsed in ruin.

– VIII.2 (in the basilica); 1904

We have wet the bed, host. I confess we have done wrong. If you want to know why, there was no chamber pot

– VIII.7.6 (Inn of the Muledrivers; left of the door); 4957

Once you are dead, you are nothing

– IX.8.3 (House of the Centenary; interior of the house); 5279