Did the romans use advertisements?

by [deleted]

[deleted]

Cinaedus_Perversus

Yes! We have found several murals and inscriptions that can be classified as advertisements. For instance, in Pompeii we have found the following mural:

Cn[aeum] Helvium We pray that you will make Gnaeus Helvius
Sabinum aed[ilem] Sabinus, worthy of the Republic, an aedile.
d[ignum] r[ei] p[ublicae]
o[ro] v[os] f[aciatis]

The parts between brackets are not found on the mural but reconstructed. The acronyms DRP and OVF were prevalent in political advertising.

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We also have more conventional advertisements for goods and services. This inscription was found on the wall of a tavern in Pompeii:

[H]edone dicit Hedone says:
assibus hic For an assis you can drink here
bibitur; dipundium If you give two, you will drink a better [wine]
si dederis, meliora For four, you will drink a Falernian [wine]
Bibes; quartus
Falerna[m] bib[es]

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They even had guerrilla marketing, in a sense. This inscription was found near the city gate of Pompeii, the first place many out-of-towners would pass:

si quis hic sederet legat hoc ante omnia siqui If someone goes and sits here, let him read this before everything else:
futuere volet Atticen quaerat a[ssibus] xvi If someone wants to fuck, he should look for Attice For 16 assis

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Even better, one of the oldest Latin inscriptions is theorized to be an advertising slogan. The duenos-inscription was found on a small vase from about the 7th-5th century BCE. Because the Latin is pretty unintelligible to most, I'll just copy a hypothesized translation from Wikipedia:

It is sworn with the gods, whence I'm issued:If a maiden does not smile at you,

nor is strongly attracted to you,then soothe her with this fragrance!

Someone good has filled me for someone good and well-mannered,and not shall I be obtained by someone bad.

Which can arguably be construed as an advertisement.

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All inscriptions are from CIL IV, translations are mine.