A 2,000-year-old bit of battlefield trash talk has turned up in northern Israel. Archaeologists excavating the Hellenistic city of Hippos, just east of the Sea of Galilee, uncovered a lead projectile known as a sling bullet stamped in Greek with a single command: "Learn," interpreted as "Learn your lesson." One side of the lemon-shaped projectile, just over an inch long, is crushed from impact, suggesting it was actually fired, likely from the city walls at approaching enemies, per Live Science. Dozens of sling bullets have been found at Hippos over the years, and though some carried images of scorpions and thunderbolts, none carried an inscription.
Lead projectiles discovered across the wider region have carried powerful symbols, including tridents, as well as the names of generals, cities, and gods, according to a study published this month in Palestine Exploration Quarterly. In rare cases, humorous messages appeared, including "catch" and "take a taste," Live Science reports. This is the first time "learn" has been found on any sling bullet anywhere in the world, per GB News. Study author Michael Eisenberg of the University of Haifa says the inscription offers a glimpse at the "local sarcastic humor" of Hippos' Greek-speaking defenders, who would've targeted sieging enemies up to 1,000 feet away. He assumes the sling bullet's message was, "Next time, you should learn not to come here," per the Times of Israel.
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