Larsen noted that the conditions in the prison were dreadful, which was made clear by the graffiti the inmates wrote.
No existing records explain who the inmates were or why they were imprisoned. The only fact known for sure is that they were angry about their situation.
“You get the sense that they’re in a very dark space, that they cannot be given a hearing,” Larsen told Live Science.
One inscription reads, “Godbearer, repay [punishment given by] Marinos, the one who threw us in here and made us spend winter.”
Another was a plea for release, stating, “Lord God and pure justice, ransom from this place the two brothers. Christ, safeguard both Boudis and John.”
Several of the etchings sought vengeance against those who imprisoned them. For example, someone wrote, “Lord, make them die an awful death.”
A few of the carvings were depictions of game boards that show how the prisoners must have played games to pass the time.
While we may never know the full background of the inmates, the graffiti they created at least offers a glimpse into the daily lives and mental states of prisoners from ancient Corinth 1,600 years ago.
