Intro Graffiti Graphics

[Ludovicus]

Thanks for opening this forum. The HBO "Rome" series opens each episode with the same short film that includes shots of graffiti, often animated. Has anyone here in the UNRV forums transcribed and translated these scribblings for our erudition?

[frankq]

Thanks for opening this forum. The HBO "Rome" series opens each episode with the same short film that includes shots of graffiti, often animated. Has anyone here in the UNRV forums transcribed and translated these scribblings for our erudition?

 

One of them, the snake, is direct tribute to the great BBC epic I, Claudius.

 

I think. Phil might be able to elucidate on this better.

[spittle]

Its not on the opening credits but I watched the episode where pompey's thugs are bombarding Attia's house and they are making suicide arrangements inside. Then the mob just leaves. When the 'Horse Jew' looks outside their is graffiti on the door. The audio commentary states that this says "Attia sleeps with everybody"

[Ursus]

The audio commentary states they are all scenes from Rome's legendary early history, with some other allusions to Greco-Roman mythology.

 

The Geese are Juno's sacred geese warning the Roman defenders of Gallic invaders. The scene where men are carrying female figures overhead depicts the rape of the Sabine women.

 

The medusa head should be a fairly obvious mythological allusion.

 

I liked the graffiti opening when I first saw it, but I do believe they need something different for season 2.

[spittle]

The skull balancing on a butterfly on a wheel mosaic is fantastic! I believe it was one of discoveries found when Pompei was rediscovered. It would make an excellent backpiece tattoo.

 

Its the inside picture on the DVD boxset which has the best packaging of any boxset (or single DVD) I have ever seen.

The disc's are in a normal package that unfolds but then this is placed inside of a cigar box type case. A thin cardboard outercase completes the item. Very good effort from the graphic design team. Best yet from anyone!

[Pertinax]

Those with the box set, will already know that the graffiti styles were "learnt" from the Pompeiian survivals , the set designers then extemporised on the originals. The street colour schemes for the house exteriors were also borrowed from that environment.

 

and please look here..(parental advisory!) :pimp:

 

http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Latin_Vul...i_Graffiti.html

 

and:

 

http://www.personal.kent.edu/~bkharvey/rom...es/graffiti.htm

 

some of these are splendid.

 

Antiochus , I see youve been busy:"Antiochus hung out here with his girlfriend Cithera".Do we have anyone by the name of Phileros ,"Phileros is a eunuch!" , well really!

[DecimusCaesar]

Great link Pertinax, thank you for posting them!

 

A lot of those are hilarious stuff, the type I don't usually see mentioned in books about Pompeii. They remind you that behind all the great, important figuers in Roman history like Caesar, there were also average people like you and me, whose voices and lives have long since been forgotten. Those graffito scribblings bring a rather human, down to earth side to ancient Romans.