On the middle panel of Basquiat’s “Jawbone of an Ass,” we find a striking collection of names and historical events from Greco-Roman Antiquity. Interpreters have maintained that it is a random list without internal coherence, arranged alphabetically, that “stand for the richness of classical Greek culture.” In this presentation, I suggest an alternative interpretation according to which there is indeed a strong coherence in this list. They indicate Basquiat’s deep engagement with Greco-Roman antiquity, focusing primarily on social struggles. I suggest that this is also what creates a link between the figures and movements of American history that populate the bottom part of the painting, as well as the depictions at the two side panels, and indeed with the title of the painting.