Tattoos in antiquity

The reasons for which one might tattoo his body are varied. Currently, the most
popular explanation is decoration. The tattoos themselves come in a myriad of different
forms, colors, and subjects. These may range from religious icons to a portrait of a
favorite pet. Since there is a certain bond among those who are tattooed, group
identification may be a major motivation for tattooing. As a testament to this fact, prison
tattoos are widely practiced as a method by which convicts associate themselves publicly
with a gang. Tattoos bind outcasts together, partially because the practice is still regarded
as socially unacceptable.
This same social disapproval was present in Greco-Roman times. Authors such
as Herodotus, Xenophon, and Lysias describe tribes outside their personal social confines
as employing tattoos to their fullest extent, in the form of full-body suits. These authors
always express surprise that tattoos denoted high social status in these other societies.