A Hebrew/Aramaic graffito and Poppaea’s alleged Jewish sympathy

A previously unpublished Hebrew/Aramaic graffito discovered in villa 'A' of Oplontis, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites at Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata, may provide new evidence linking the site to Poppaea Sabina, Nero's second wife. Flavius Josephus described her as a sympathizer with the Jews ('theosebēs'), but definitive proof has remained elusive. This graffito, found accidentally, could strengthen this long-standing hypothesis and offer insights into the Jewish diaspora in Campania before 79 CE. The study calls for scholarly collaboration to interpret the inscription, potentially deepening our understanding of ancient Jewish life in the region.

Grüll, T., & Benke, L. (2011). A Hebrew/Aramaic graffito and Poppaea’s alleged Jewish sympathy. Journal of Jewish Studies, 62(1), 37–55. https://doi.org/10.18647/3007/jjs-2011