Dark Prayers: “Lord, make them die an awful death” Found in Roman-Era Prison

This ominous inscription has been uncovered by archaeologists in Corinth, Greece, who’ve uncovered a piece of ancient Roman history that’s straight out of a thriller novel - the remains of a Roman prison dated to 1,600 years ago. The prison was identified by all the etched words found scrawled within the cracks of the walls and floor of a prison-like structure. According to historical records, it seems that prisons were a common feature in Roman towns, particularly those with a forum.

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Matthew Larsen, an archaeologist and associate professor of New Testament at the University of Copenhagen, highlighted this in the journal Hesperia in a newly published study. He wrote:

"Prisons must have existed in almost every Roman town, at least those that had a forum."

However, despite their prevalence, finding archaeological evidence of these prisons has proven to be a tough challenge.

"There is scant evidence of what a Roman prison would have looked like, or where it would have been located," Larsen noted. This makes discoveries like the one in Corinth all the more significant, as they offer rare glimpses into a largely hidden aspect of Roman life.

The detective work was led by Larsen, who pieced together the puzzle by studying the site, the cryptic graffiti left behind, and some long-forgotten excavation notes from 1901. What really clued Larsen into the fact that this site was once a prison was the eerie graffiti etched into the floor.

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Representational Roman prison cell. (Sierra Knight/Adobe Stock)

The Plot Thickens: Hidden Graffiti Corners and Grim Existence

These inscriptions, written in Greek, are filled with desperate pleas, like:

"May the fortune of those who suffer in this lawless place prevail. Lord, do not show mercy on the one who threw us in here."

Chilling, right? But the plot thickens — the floor is cracked, raising the question: Was this prison originally somewhere else, with its flooring repurposed here?

Larsen noticed something fascinating: all the graffiti was confined to the cracks in the floor. This suggests that the floor was already cracked when it was laid down, and the prisoners chose to write their messages within these cracks, reinforcing the idea that this was indeed a prison, reports Live Science.

But that’s not all. Larsen also found remnants of ancient jugs (or "olpai") and lamps on the prison's east aisle. These would’ve been used to give the prisoners a sip of water and a flicker of light in the dark, miserable conditions they endured.

And in one of the chambers? Evidence of a small latrine — not exactly luxury, but it was probably the only home comfort the prisoners got.

Desperate Prison Life

Life in this prison was no picnic, to put it mildly. The graffiti gives us a peek into the grim reality of these prisoners.

Larsen comments:

“You get a sense that they're in a very dark space, that they cannot be given a hearing."

In fact, one inscription reveals that a group of prisoners was stuck there for an entire winter! It reads, "Godbearer, repay [punishment given by] Marinos, the one who threw us in here and made us spend winter."

But it wasn’t all doom and gloom — some prisoners apparently found ways to pass the time, as a few inscriptions show what look like game boards. Maybe they played a few rounds to keep their spirits up? Of course, many of the inscriptions are cries for help, begging for freedom. One says:

"Lord God and pure justice, ransom from this place the two brothers. Christ, safeguard both Boudis and John..."

And then, there’s a touch of romance — or maybe just wishful thinking — with one inscription that reads, "The fortune of the beautiful girls who love the unmarried men prevails."

But the most gut-wrenching graffiti is filled with raw anger and a thirst for vengeance. "Lord, make them die an awful death," one prisoner scrawled, reports Popular Mechanics.

This find isn’t just a glimpse into the past; it’s a haunting reminder of the human stories of misery that played out in the shadows of the Roman Empire. The cracks in the floor, the desperate graffiti, the dim light from the lamps — they all tell a tale of suffering, but also hope, and resilience that resonates across the centuries.

Top image: Temple of Apollo amidst the ruins of Ancient Corinth, Greece.        Source: avorym/Adobe Stock

By Sahir Pandey