Archaeologists Find 2,100-Year-Old Bullet Bearing a 'Sarcastic' Inscription

Archaeologists in Israel have discovered a 2,100-year-old bullet inscribed with a pointed message to enemies, The New York Post reported.

The sling bullet, crafted from rock and designed to be fired as a projectile from a slingshot, was found in a necropolis dating back to the Byzantine era along an ancient road in the former village of Hippos. Hippos was previously a powerful political region. Known then as Susita, it served as the epicenter of power in the area from 323 B.C. to 31 B.C.

The bullet, which measures 1.25 inches long and 0.748 inches wide and weighs just 0.099 pounds, is believed to be from the second century. It’s inscribed with a “sarcastic” message to enemies unlucky enough to come into contact with the weapon. On the side of the bullet is the word “Learn” carved in now-faded Greek lettering.

“At Hippos alone, 69 such projectiles have been identified so far, but this is the first in the world to bear the inscription ‘Learn,'” said Michael Eisenberg, the study’s lead author and an archaeologist at the University of Haifa. “This represents local sarcastic humor on the part of the city’s defenders, who wished to teach their enemies a lesson with a wink: ‘Learn your lesson!’”

Sling Bullet Was Deployed During Ancient Battle as City Defense

Officials explained in last month’s press release announcing the discovery that the sling bullet was “fired by the city’s defenders from the city walls toward the enemy advancing to besiege the city.” “To find a sling bullet with an inscription is very rare; to find this Greek word on a sling bullet is the first time in the world,” the statement added.

At the time, lead bullets were considered an inexpensive but fatal resolution to conflict, while stone projectiles were both less lethal and easier to manipulate on the battlefield. “Sling bullets were produced by casting lead in stone molds in a relatively simple process that could be carried out even during a military campaign,” the statement explained.

“Many projectiles were decorated with the name of a military commander, the name of a city, sarcastic humor or symbols intended to imbue them with power, such as a trident, lightning bolt or scorpion,” officials explained.

“To find a sling bullet with an inscription is very rare; to find this Greek word on a sling bullet is the first time in the world,” Eisenberg added. “We know of similar mocking or sarcastic humor directed at the enemy, but this specific example was unknown and reveals the humorous local trend among the Hellenistic defenders of Hippos.”

Eisenberg concluded: “The bullet’s location near the ancient main road below the city’s fortifications, in addition to the impact mark on the bullet, supplies a colorful reconstruction of the defenders shooting the bullet toward the besieging forces advancing towards the city.”