There is a bronze tablet inside that will tell you about what is inside the inn. Yet another is an acrostic that can be read up and down as well as forwards and backwards. Not all of the inscriptions are in perfect Latin, especially some of the graffiti which often contain misspelled words and incorrect grammar. Other examples of this ancient graffiti include drawings of people. This is the case with a Pompeiian example, which depicts a minor argument about who should be served first in the tavern.
Language is the primary tool for expressing culture and thought.
My students have a deeper understanding of the Romans and their society when they study Latin as a living language. This challenges the students and brings them to a higher level of Latin competency earlier in their college careers.