Elke Fuchs/Heidelberg UniversityThe curse tablet found in Heerlen is a rare find because it uses Ancient Greek, rather than Latin.In the days of ancient Rome, there was never any shortage of everyday conflicts, some of them similar to those we all experience today. Perhaps a neighbor takes you to court, claiming you owe them money. Perhaps someone else has begun courting your one true love. Or maybe in an example that is of course specific to ancient Rome a certain gladiator is scheduled to face you in the arena.However, some 2,000 years ago, if you found yourself in one of these situations and wanted the gods to smite your enemy, you could always ask them for help by creating a curse tablet. Youd carve your vengeful wish into a piece of stone and hope that the gods would help you by hurting your rival. These magical tablets, known as defixiones in Latin or katadesmoi in Greek, were simply a part of life across the Roman Empire.One such ancient tablet, dated to the second century C.E., was discovered by archaeologists in the city of Heerlen, Netherlands, which was the former site of the Roman military settlement Coriovallum. And unlike other such tablets that have been unearthed by archaeologists, this relic is a rare find because it was inscribed in Ancient Greek rather than Latin.The Discovery Of A Second-Century Curse Tablet With Rare Egyptian-Style EngravingsArchaeologists discovered the tablet in a pit beneath the town hall square in Heerlen. This sort of burial is common, as these tablets were generally engraved with spells and then placed underground at sites that had local importance or alleged supernatural power.This tablet measured about four inches by two inches and was made from lead, which has often been the case with Roman-era curse artifacts found in northern Europe.Heidelberg Universitys Institute for Papyrology analyzed the tablets engravings, which had become faint over time, and discovered three groups of characters inscribed onto the artifact. The team used reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), which involves digitally combining photos of the artifact taken with different lighting to reveal even the smallest of surface features.Wikimedia CommonsThe Roman baths of Coriovallum, the most famous ancient discovery made at the ruins of this former military settlement.Archaeologists determined that one of these sections contains inscriptions of Egyptian-style invocations to deities and demons, written in Ancient Greek. This is a rare find, as the artifacts discovered in northern Europe are usually inscribed with Latin and follow Roman traditions.Researchers also discovered three magical symbols known as Characteres, which were likely used as a way to communicate the intended curse to the supernatural entities invoked in the other inscriptions. Below the symbols, researchers found the names of two men and two women who are referred to in the engraving as fellow slaves.These names were also a rare find, as the men had Latin names and the women had Greek names.It cannot be ruled out that one of the two women was the author of the inscription and had brought the supposed ability to communicate with divine powers through such curses with her from Roman Egypt, Dr. Julia Lougovaya, a research associate at Heidelberg Universitys Institute for Papyrology, said in a statement.What The Curse Tablet Found In Heerlen Reveals About Magical Practices In The Roman EmpireService Archologie Orlans (SAVO)A Roman-era curse tablet found in France.While the exact nature of the curse intended by the tablets creator cannot be determined, the team said that curses on ancient tablets were commonly cast upon romantic, athletic, or legal rivals.The tablet served either as a curse against these four slaves or as a curse in their name against an unnamed person, Dr. Rodney Ast, the academic director at the Institute for Papyrology, said in a statement.Heerlen, as a former Roman military outpost, is an important archaeological site for discovering how people lived in the outer stretches of the Roman Empire. Previously, archaeologists found a 2,000-year-old tomb of a Roman soldier named Flaccus in Heerlen, as well as a piece of limestone used as a board game.Jutta Stroszeck/German Archaeological InstituteOne of 30 ancient curse tablets found in an ancient Greek well.Whether found in Heerlen or hundreds of miles away, ancient curse tablets have been uncovered across Europe. Several years ago, 30 ancient curse tablets were found in a 38-foot, 2,500-year-old well in Kerameikos, an ancient Greek excavation site. In 2022, 21 curse tablets were found at a Roman necropolis in France, all of them dating back to between the first and third centuries C.E.In the new discovery made in Heerlen, however, the ancient curse tablet is unusual for its Egyptian-style invocations of deities and its use of Ancient Greek text. These Egyptian influences on ancient Roman tablets could open up more pathways for researchers trying to understand the role that magic played in ancient civilizations throughout the Mediterranean.In ancient Egypt, some magical practices related to protection and healing were a normal and recognized part of religious life, while other practices that benefitted oneself at the expense of others were done in secret. These more clandestine magical practices were likely adopted in the Roman Empire in the form of curses engraved on tablets and surreptitiously hidden underground.In the early centuries A.D., Near Eastern, Egyptian, Jewish, and sometimes even Christian traditions increasingly merged and spread throughout the entire Roman Empire of that time a development that the discovery from Heerlen impressively underscores, said Dr. Joachim Quack, the director of Heidelberg Universitys Institute for Egyptology.After reading about the rare ancient curse tablet found in the Netherlands, see the ancient Greek jar used to curse 55 people. Then, learn about the ancient Roman magic used to speak to the dead.The post Archaeologists In The Netherlands Found A 1,900-Year-Old Roman Tablet Asking The Gods To Deliver A Vengeful Curse appeared first on All That's Interesting.