7 Ancient Roman Curses You Can Incorporate into Modern Life

Curse tablets, referred to as defixiones by scholars, were a common means of expression throughout the Roman Empire from the 5th century BCE to the 5th century CE. Over 1500 tablets—written in Latin or Greek and scratched onto recycled materials like metal, pottery, and stone—have been discovered from Britain to North Africa. These were often sealed with nails and hidden in graves, wells, or natural springs. The formulaic nature of many suggests they were likely penned by professional scribes moonlighting as curse-writers, whose words were believed to imbue the tablets with mystical power.

Used by both common folk and the elite, these small notes revealed the true desires of many Romans regarding their enemies. A typical curse might invoke the gods to 'bind' someone's body, thereby stripping them of their power. Others focused on vengeance, theft, love, and even sports. Some of the more creative curses could be adapted for our 21st-century lives—just swap the Roman deities for modern equivalents, and let your imagination channel the dark arts to do your bidding.

1. 'Old, Like Putrid Gore'

Curse: Vetus quomodo sanies signeficatur Tacita deficta.

Translation: “Tacita, cursed as she is, is described as old like rotten flesh.”

The exact nature of Tacita's wrongdoing remains a mystery, but it must have been severe enough to provoke such a grave curse. Found in a Roman British grave from the early 2nd century CE, this curse was inscribed in reverse on a lead tablet, likely to enhance its power.

2. “Unable to Chain Bears”

Curse: Inplicate lacinia Vincentzo Tzaritzoni, ut urssos ligare non possit, omni urssum perdat, non occidere possit in die Merccuri in omni ora iam iam, cito cito, facite!

Translation: “Entangle the nets of Vincenzus Zarizo, may he be unable to chain bears, may he lose with every bear, may he fail to kill a bear on Wednesday, at any hour, now, now, swiftly, swiftly, make it happen!”

This curse targets gladiator Vincenzus Zarizo, who fought in Carthage, North Africa, during the 2nd century CE. It’s likely that the author had some financial stake in Zarizo’s upcoming bear fight.

3. “Lose Their Minds and Eyes”

Curse: Docimedis perdidit manicilia dua qui illas involavit ut mentes suas perdat et oculos suos in fano ubi destinat.

Translation: “Docimedis has lost two gloves and requests that the thief responsible should lose their mind and sight in the temple of the goddess.”

Poor Docimedis was simply looking to relax at Aquae Sulis, now known as Roman Bath in Somerset, UK, when someone swiped his gloves. This tablet, dating back to the 2nd-4th centuries CE, is part of a larger collection of curses linked to thefts at bathhouses, a problem that seemed to be quite common.

4. “May the Worms, Cancer, and Maggots Penetrate”

Curse: Humanum quis sustulit Verionis palliolum sive res illius, qui illius minus fecit, ut illius mentes, memorias deiectas sive mulierem sive eas, cuius Verionis res minus fecit, ut illius manus, caput, pedes vermes, cancer, vermitudo interet, membra medullas illius interet.

Translation: “The person who stole Verio’s cloak or belongings, depriving him of his property, may they lose their mind and memory, whether it be a woman or anyone else who wronged Verio. May worms, cancer, and maggots invade their hands, head, feet, limbs, and bones.”

This curse is particularly vile, aimed at the thief who took Verio’s clothes, as being consumed by worms was viewed as a gruesome and undignified death. The tablet was discovered near Frankfurt, Germany, and dates back to the 1st century CE.

5. “Be Struck Dumb”

Curse: Qui mihi Vilbiam involavit sic liquat comodo aqua. Ell[…] muta qui eam involavit.

Translation: “May the person who took Vilbia from me turn into liquid like water. May she who shamelessly devoured her be struck dumb.”

This partially damaged lead tablet refers to the ‘theft’ of a woman named Vilbia by an unknown individual. It’s unclear whether Vilbia was the curse-giver’s lover, concubine, or slave. The tablet was also found at Roman Bath.

6. “Kill the Horses”

Curse: Adiuro te demon, quicunque es, et demando tibi ex hanc hora, ex hanc die, ex hoc momento, ut equos prasini et albi crucies, occidas et agitatores Clarum et Felicem et Primulum et Romanum occidas.

Translation: “I call upon you, spirit, whoever you may be, and command you to torment and kill the horses of the green and white teams, from this moment, from this day forward, and to slay the charioteers Clarus, Felix, Primulus, and Romanus.”

Horses were the most commonly cursed animals on these tablets, reflecting their importance in chariot races. This particular curse was found in Hadrumetum (modern-day Tunisia) from the 3rd century CE. On the reverse side of the tablet was a crude drawing of an anatomically correct deity, likely to ensure the failure of the rival teams.

7. “Never do Better than the Mime”

Curse: Sosio de Eumolpo mimo ne enituisse poteat. Ebria vi monam agere nequeati in eqoleo.

Translation: “Sosio must never outshine the mime Eumolpos. He must not be capable of playing the role of a drunken woman on a young horse.”

This tablet casts a curse on an actor named Sosio. In Roman comedic theater, the 'drunken woman on a horse' was a popular comedic trope, so the curse-maker wishes for Sosio's performance to flop. It was found at Rauranum in western France and dates to the late 3rd century CE.