Writing and drawing on the walls of Pompeii: how the study of graffiti relates to the HSC ancient history core syllabus for 2006

This article aims to survey the nature of the graffiti at the site of ancient Pompeii as a category of material culture incorporating written and archaeological features and as a useful primary and supplementary source for evidence about the economy, social structure, politics, religion and daily life in Roman Campania of the Republican and early Imperial historical period. It also aims to demonstrate the usefulness of incorporating graffiti into a program of study of the Core Unit of the NSW HSC 2006 syllabus.