Graffiti in antiquity

The graffiti that survive from the ancient world of the Mediterranean offers us an extraordinary insight into the everyday life - both public and private - of the time. Whether cut, painted, inked or traced in charcoal, graffiti were used to address topics as diverse as religion, magic, myth, politics, sport, commerce and sexuality. Graffiti in Antiquity examines 3,000 years of history, drawing chiefly on sources from Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. The men and women of these cultures - both free and enslaved - used graffiti to comment on their own lives and to champion, satirize and protest against issues of the day. The sources are carefully presented within their specific historical, cultural and archaeological contexts, but the purpose of the study is to explore how these sources can construct a broader picture of social identity and interaction. Graffiti in Antiquity offers readers a new way of understanding the lives of ordinary people in the ancient world.Introduction: Modern Approaches to Ancient Graffiti Part I: Techniques 1. Methods, Types, Contexts Part II: Traditions 2. History 3. Literature 4. Art and Architecture Part III: Beliefs 5. Religion 6. Magic 7. Mythology Part IV: Lifestyles 8. Politics 9. Sport 10. Commerce 11. Sexuality Appendix: Where to find ancient graffiti (collections and locations).329 page(s