Roman political graffiti and "hidden transcripts"

This report examines literary accounts and archaeological evidence of political graffiti in and around Rome from the late Republic onwards. Within Scott’s framework of hidden transcripts of the “dominated” that combat “dominant” discourse, this report addresses issues of authorship, intent, and impact, with consideration of both linguistic and visual-spatial elements of graffiti. It argues for a nuanced, flexible understanding of “dominated” and “dominant” groups, both in the groups’ composition and in their contributions to hidden transcripts and “dominant” discourses