The ‘sarcastic’ message archaeologists found carved into this 2,100-year-old sphere is pretty funny
Archaeologists in Israel have found a 2,100-year-old lead sling bullet with what may be the oldest recorded version of the battlefield flap remaining.
The projectile was discovered at Hippos, an ancient city overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It bears the Greek word “ΜΑΘΟΥ,” which scholars read as “Learn” or, in context, something closer to “Learn your lesson.” Cutting into a piece of ammo before firing it at someone’s head is a hassle.
According to Michael Eisenberg of the University of Haifa, who co-authored the finding in Palestine Exploration Quarterlythe inscription reflects “local sarcastic humor of the city’s defenders, who wanted to teach their enemies a lesson with a wink.” Oh, people. We build cities, invent siege warfare and still have time to be smug. You must love us.
A 2,100-year-old bullet found in Israel had a sarcastic message to the enemy
The ball was found near the bed of the Sussita Stream, along an old road leading up to the town. Researchers believe that the location plus the damage to the object itself point to a fairly straightforward scene. Defenders on the walls fired it at enemies moving up the road during a siege, probably sometime in the second or early first century BCE. Hippos saw plenty of military action during the Hellenistic period, including a probable conflict involving the Hasmonean ruler Alexander Jannaeus around 101 BCE.
What makes this one stand out is that inscribed slingshots are already uncommon and this formulation appears to be unique. Archaeologists have found other examples stamped with symbols, commanders’ names or short taunts, but Eisenberg said this is the first known slingshot in the world to bear this specific inscription. Hippos alone have yielded 69 similar projectiles over the years, but this one still managed to be the overachiever.
It’s a fun discovery until you remember what it actually is. A small, dense lump of lead, about 3.2 centimeters (1.26 inches) long and about 38 grams (1.34 ounces) now. It was slightly heavier before impact, designed to break bones from a distance. Ancient warfare had all the same ingredients we still recognize today: territorial battles, military arrays, and someone who just had to get the last word before the violence started.
