A charred papyrus scroll, buried for nearly 2,000 years beneath volcanic ash, has revealed the long-lost words of Philodemus, an ancient Greek philosopher. Researchers used advanced X-ray technology to read parts of the scroll without opening it. This breakthrough brings the philosopher’s writings back to life.
The Discovery of the Scroll
In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the Roman city of Herculaneum under thick ash. Archaeologists discovered many scrolls among the ruins, all damaged by the heat and ash. One scroll—PHerc. 172—held a special secret. After almost 2,000 years, researchers have finally uncovered part of its text.
The scroll was found in a Roman villa in Herculaneum. Many believe the villa belonged to Julius Caesar’s father-in-law. It is also known to have housed a library. Until now, no one could read these scrolls without damaging them.
Non-Invasive Technology Makes It Possible
Experts from University College London (UCL) and Oxford University used advanced X-ray technology to study PHerc. 172. Unlike traditional methods, the scans didn’t require unrolling or touching the scroll. Instead, the researchers “unwrapped” the scroll virtually.
The ink in the scroll is carbon-based, similar to the papyrus. This made it difficult to detect with standard methods. However, the team’s X-ray scans revealed Greek letters on the scroll. They noticed the word “disgust” repeated several times. This discovery provided a major clue about the text’s contents.
Uncovering the Author and the Title
Thanks to the scans, the team identified the scroll as part of On Vices, a work by Philodemus. Philodemus was an Epicurean philosopher, and his writings often explored ethics and the art of living. This scroll likely contains part of the first book in the On Vices series, which discusses topics like arrogance, greed, and flattery—issues that interested ancient thinkers.
This discovery is significant because it marks the first time a scroll’s title and author were revealed using only non-invasive imaging.
The Vesuvius Challenge: A Global Effort
This achievement is part of the Vesuvius Challenge, a global effort to unlock ancient scrolls using cutting-edge technology. The challenge began in 2023 and rewards researchers who successfully extract readable text from the carbonized scrolls.
In a previous success, students won the grand prize of $700,000 for using AI to recover 2,000 letters from another scroll. This time, researchers Sean Johnson, Marcel Roth, and Micha Nowak won the $60,000 prize for identifying the title and author in PHerc. 172.
What Comes Next for Ancient Text Recovery?
In July 2024, the team scanned PHerc. 172 at Diamond Light Source, a major synchrotron facility in the UK. Since then, they have scanned 18 more scrolls and plan to scan at least 20 more at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France.
Although researchers have detected more traces of ink, turning these raw images into readable text remains a challenge. Dr. Brent Seales, co-founder of the Vesuvius Challenge, explained, “We can see the ink now, but we need to flatten and segment the scans into readable sections.”
A New Era of Discovery
Experts are excited about the rapid pace of discovery. Dr. Michael McOsker from UCL called the progress “lightning-fast.” In just a few years, researchers have uncovered more ancient texts than in decades of traditional research. The pace of discovery is accelerating, and scholars are hopeful that many lost works will soon be revealed.
Despite these breakthroughs, many scrolls from Herculaneum remain unread. Modern technology offers a chance to unlock these lost works. With hundreds of scrolls still to be scanned, there’s hope that scholars will soon uncover entire volumes of ancient texts.
Why This Discovery Matters
This discovery is more than a scientific achievement. It gives us a glimpse into the past. Philodemus’ words, buried for almost 2,000 years, are now coming to light. Thanks to modern technology, the wisdom of ancient philosophers like Philodemus is now available to the world.
This scroll is just the beginning. With each new discovery, ancient history becomes more accessible. The lost words of the past are now within reach.