Gladiator graffiti.

• Position: Ancient Rome - Discovery of new writing and drawings in the Colosseum (Rome, Italy - Report

Defacing public property is a serious crime today, punishable by fines and even jail time. But in ancient Rome, graffiti--a word that traces its origins to graffito, Italian for "scribblings"--was permitted and even respected. Archaeologists working on restorations in the Colosseum--the 50,000-seat amphitheater built in 70 A.D. where Romans flocked to watch gladiator duels--have discovered new writings and drawings beneath the layers of the massive stadium's walls. One scrawl found in a corridor, a red palm leaf symbolizing victory, was drawn next to the letters "Vind"--short for vindicatio, or...