Editorial

Prisoner’s Prayer ‘Lord, Make Them Die An Awful Death’ Found Carved In Ancient Cell

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(Photo credit should read VALERIE GACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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An interview published Sunday detailed the chilling discovery of a rare Roman prison in Corinth, Greece.

The 1,600-year-old Corinth-based prison is one of few remaining from the Roman Empire, according to a study published earlier in 2024 in the journal Hesperia. “You get a sense that they’re in a very dark space,” study author Matthew Larsen told Live Science of the prisoners once held at the site, often without a hearing.

Larsen identified the site by examining excavation records dating back to 1901 and ancient graffiti carved into the floors. “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,” reads one Greek carving. The rest follow a similar theme.

“Godbearer, repay [punishment given by] Marinos, the one who threw us in here and made us spend winter,” says another. Larsen noted the region (and much of Europe) can be an “incredibly cold place in the winter.” (RELATED: Residents Of Once-Lost Roman Estate Likely Watched Thousands Die In Ancient Cataclysm, Researchers Claim)

“Lord God and pure justice, ransom from this place the two brothers. Christ, safeguard both Boudis and John …” another, more specific carving reads. “The fortune of the beautiful girls who love the unmarried men prevails,” stated another, the context of their thoughts lost to history.

“Lord, make them die an awful death,” asked another.

Cracks in the flooring of the site leave questions about whether the prison was located in Corinth or if the materials were moved there from another site to be reused. (RELATED: Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Villa Hiding ‘Mysterious’ Feature)

Roman prisons are believed to have existed in every town, “at least those that had a forum,” Larsen wrote. “Yet the archaeological remains of prisons have proven exceedingly hard to identify. There is scant evidence of what a Roman prison would have looked like, or where it would have been located.”

All of the carvings were found within the boundaries of the cracked floor. It’s likely the cracks existed when the prisoners were held, writing their haunting pleas within the outlines. Despite being a “small find,” as Larsen described, it has huge implications for the understanding of Roman brutality against their inmates.