A remarkable find has been unearthed in an old Grecian city within Israel. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark
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A historical “projectile” bearing an inscription thought to be a message for its unlucky recipient has been discovered by scientists. The lead object, a mere 1.3 inches long, is considered to have been fired from a slingshot, a weapon employed by Ancient Greeks during warfare.
Soldiers armed with slingshots could hurl this dense metal piece, approximately 45 grams in weight, across distances reaching around 1,000 metres, effectively making it an early form of ammunition. Impact from this flying metal could result in severe wounds or even fatalities, as proficient slingshot users were capable of launching these projectiles at speeds nearing 100mph.
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This unique relic of past conflicts was located by archaeologists affiliated with the University of Haifa, Israel, at the Hippos (or Sussita) location, a city erected almost 2,000 years ago near the inland Sea of Galilee.
The presence of a message, inscribed in Ancient Greek, addressed to the person struck by the bullet, is what surprised the researchers. The lead is etched with the phrase “Learn your lesson”.
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According to Live Science, the Greek characters ΜΑΘΟΥ are inscribed upon the lead, and the study’s authors have interpreted this inscription as a variant of the Greek term “mathaíno,” translating to “learn.” Their assessment suggests that the spelling indicates an order, akin to “Learn your lesson”.
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Michael Eisenberg, an archaeologist from the University of Haifa, conveyed in a statement: “Lead sling bullets of this variety are commonplace in archaeological explorations across diverse Hellenistic period locations, especially those dating back to the second century BCE … yet this marks the first instance globally of the ‘Learn’ inscription.
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“This signifies a hint of localized sardonic wit from the city’s protectors, who sought to instruct their adversaries with a playful jest.”
Eisenberg and his team published their findings on March 10 in the Palestine Exploration Quarterly journal.
The report specifies: “The artefact was retrieved using a metal detector inside the Southern Necropolis, near the Sussita Stream’s path, where an ancient route once existed.
“Most likely discharged by the city’s defenders towards oncoming assailants on the road, the projectile bears the Greek inscription ΜΑΘΟΥ.
“This previously undocumented inscription can be construed as a cynical order directed at the foe, conveying ‘learn your lesson.’ This discovery enhances the existing inventory of 69 lead sling bullets discovered at Hippos.”
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The report further notes: “The inscribed bullet, together with other slingshots unearthed at the location, could have seen action in multiple confrontations during the Hellenistic era involving Hippos.
“The initial encounter occurred before the city was established, under Ptolemaic governance, when a fortress stood atop the hill. It was seized during the Battle of Paneion, around 199BC by the Seleucids, who then proceeded to establish the polis of Hippos at this site.”