One thing I love about history is how small & insignificant things at the time can end up telling us so much.
A good example is how 1,800 years ago a school bully scratched some graffiti into the wall of his school, & accidentally gave us the first visual depiction of Christ.
A good example is how 1,800 years ago a school bully scratched some graffiti into the wall of his school, & accidentally gave us the first visual depiction of Christ.
In 1857, while excavating ruins on the Palatine Hill in Rome, researchers stumbled across the ruin of a Paedagogium, an old school building for training imperial page boys.
The school had been walled up sometime in the 3rd century to support constructions above it.
The school had been walled up sometime in the 3rd century to support constructions above it.
Inside, they found the walls scrawled with graffiti, left by the generations of students who had passed through.
Among them, they found a graffito apparently mocking one of the students for being part of a strange new religion sweeping the Empire. He was a Christian.
Among them, they found a graffito apparently mocking one of the students for being part of a strange new religion sweeping the Empire. He was a Christian.
The etching, dated to around 200 CE, depicts a man worshipping a crucified figure that has the head of a donkey.
The crudely-scrawled Greek inscription reads "Alexamenos worships his god".
The crudely-scrawled Greek inscription reads "Alexamenos worships his god".
Whoever Alexamenos was, a student or a slave, a born Christian or a convert, he lived at a time when Christianity was becoming a force for change in the Roman Empire.
Since the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Christianity had found its centre in Rome, & spread gradually.
Since the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Christianity had found its centre in Rome, & spread gradually.
Roman authorities were suspicious of the new religion, which they thought divided the loyalties of Romans.
Laws were passed at various times requiring Christians to sacrifice to Roman gods, & they were targeted by at times brutal repressions.
Laws were passed at various times requiring Christians to sacrifice to Roman gods, & they were targeted by at times brutal repressions.
Although the Alexamenos graffito predates by about 100 years the most horrific repressions that took place at the start of the 4th Century, the drawing certainly has a cruel edge to it when you imagine that Alexamenos may have witnessed the horror of crucifixions himself.
Romans often mocked Christians for worshipping a crucified man, as this was seen as a dishonourable death.
Jesus' donkey head may also refer to a common belief among Romans that Jews & Christians worshipped donkeys, a myth propagated by the writer Apion in the 1st century.
Jesus' donkey head may also refer to a common belief among Romans that Jews & Christians worshipped donkeys, a myth propagated by the writer Apion in the 1st century.
It is difficult to determine whether or not the Alexamenos graffito truly depicts Christ.
Other candidates for the first visual depiction of Jesus include this 4th-century painting form the Roman catacombs, & this engraved gem amulet.
Other candidates for the first visual depiction of Jesus include this 4th-century painting form the Roman catacombs, & this engraved gem amulet.
And while we may not know anything more about Alexamenos & his story, there is one more detailed etched into the stone wall of the school.
In another room nearby, someone has scratched another message, in different handwriting: "Alexamenos fidelis", or "Alexamenos the faithful".
In another room nearby, someone has scratched another message, in different handwriting: "Alexamenos fidelis", or "Alexamenos the faithful".
Whether this is Alexamenos replying to his tormentors, or someone else sticking up for him long after he was gone, we can never know.
But this is one of my favourite stories of people reaching out to us from history & giving us a glimpse of their lives, without even knowing it.
But this is one of my favourite stories of people reaching out to us from history & giving us a glimpse of their lives, without even knowing it.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, I've gathered together some threads on other interesting historical moments & artefacts here:
