There are, in truth, abundant evidences that the labouring man in Roman days knew how to read and write at need, and there is much truth in the remark that in the lands ruled by Rome education was better under the Empire than at any time since its fall till the nineteenth century.
It has, indeed, been suggested by doubters, that these _graffiti_ were written by immigrant Italians, working as labourers or servants in Calleva.

The suggestion does not seem probable.

Italians certainly emigrated to the provinces in considerable numbers, just as Italians emigrate to-day.

But we have seen above that the ancient emigrants were not labourers, as they are to-day.

They were traders, or dealers in land, or money-lenders or other 'well-to-do' persons.