A Latin duty roster written on a cut-down amphora from the quarry fort of Mons Claudianus, about AD 150. For a run of consecutive days it lists, under abbreviated names, which soldiers stood watch at the lookout post (scopelus), at the corner positions ('angle I', 'II') and at further posts marked by single letters.
In English machine translation
[1]
8th day before the Kalends […]
Ser(enus?) Vi[…]
Elio[dorus …]
Cor[…]
Epi(machus) E[…]
an[gle …]
…[…]
[II]
[…]…[…]
[t]
[Ael(ius)] Silva(nus)
[q]
[S]er(enus) Ori(on)
7th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Cr[escens] Maxi(mus)
Sum(?) [A]diu(tor)
Iul(ius) Isido(rus)
Ier(ax) Sar(apion)
angle I
Iul(ius) Anub(ion)
II
Germa(nus) Ori(on)
t
Iul(ius) Ptol(emaios)
q
Am(monius) Uil(?)
6th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Ael(ius) Silv[anus]
Vibius An[tonius]
Iul(ius) Ser[enus]
Ser(enus) Or[ion]
[angle I]
[Eliod(orus) Posi(donius)]
[…] s […]
Epim(achus) […]
t
Ser(enus) Uil[…]
q
Cori(?) Amm[onius]
5th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Iul(ius) Anub(ion)
Ger(manus) Orio(n)
Iul(ius) Ptol(emaios)
Ama(?) Uile(?)
[a]ngle I
T[ur(?) Fa]b(?)
II
Sum(?) Ad[i]u(tor)
t
Cres(cens) Max[imus]
q
Iul(ius) Isido(rus)
4th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Ser(enus) Uil(?)
Eliod(orus) Pos(idonius)
Cor(?) Ammo(nius)
Epim(achus) Epi(machus)
angle … I
Ael(ius) Sil(vanus)
[…]
[2]
3rd day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Sum Adiu
Cre(scens) Max
Iul Isid
Ier Sar
an[gle I]
Ama Uil
I[I]
[I]ul …
t (deleted)
…
[Iul] Anu
t
Ger Orio
q
Iul Pto
Day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Ael Sil
Vib Anto
Iul Ser
Ser Ori
angle I
Cor Amm
II
Eli Pos
t
Epim Epi
q
Ser Uile
Kalends, lookout post (?)
…[…]…
[…]
Turi Fab
3rd day before the Nones, lookout post (?)
Ser Uil
Eli Pos
Cor Amm
Epi Epim
angle I
Sere Ori
II
Ael Silu
t
Vib Anto
q
Iul Ser
[3]
[…]
q
[G]er Ori
[Day before the] Nones, lookout post (?)
[A]el Sil
[Vi]b Anto
[Iu]l Ser
[Ser]e Ori
[a]ngle I
[Ser] Uil
[II]
Cor Am
t
Elio P[o]si
q
Epi […]
Nones, [lookout post (?)]
Tur (deleted) […]
Iul[…]
Ge[…]
[…]
[E]l[…] Pos
Cor Amm
Epima Epi
angle I
Iul Ser
s
Iul Pto
t
Iul Anu
q
Ama Uil
[4]
[…]
Iul […]
t
Iul […]
q
Ama U[…]
6th day before the Ides, [lookout post (?)]
Ae[l …]
Vib Anto
Iul Ser
Ser Ori
angle I
Epim E[…]
II
Ser Uil
t
[…]
[a]ngle I
[Sum] Adi
s
[T]ur Fab
t
Iul Isid
q
Cre Maxi
4th day before the Ides, lookout post (?)
Ser Uil
Eli Pos
Cor Amm
Epim Ep
angle I
Ael Sil
s
Iul Ser
t
Ser Ori
q
[V]ibi Ant
[5]
[…]
[…] Posi
s
Cor Amm
t
Ser Uil
q
Epi … Epim
Ides, lookout post (?)
Iul Anu
Ger Ori
Iul Ptol
Ama Uil
angle I
Cre Max
s
Sum Adi
t
Tur Fab
q
Iul Isid
19th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
[S]er Uil
[E]li Pos
Cor Amm[…]
Epi Epi[…]
angle I
Iul Ser …[…]
s
Ser Or[…]
t
Vi An[…]
[q]
A[el Sil]
[6]
[…]
[…] q
[…]
[…] Anto
Iul Ser
Ser Ori
angle I
Cres Max
s
Epi Epi
t
Cor Amm
r
Ser Uil
16th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Iul Anu
Ger Ori
Iul Pto
Ama Uil
angle I
Ierax Sar
s
Iul Isi
t
Tur Fa
q
Elio Posi
[7]
[…]
t
Ser Ori
q
Iul Sere
14th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Turi Fa
Eli Posi
Ier Sar
Cor Am
angle I
Ger Ori
s
Iul Anu
t
Iul Pto
q
Am Uil
[8]
13th day before the Kalends, lookout post (?)
Vib Anto
Iul Isi
Iul Ser
Ser Ori
[angle I]
[…]
s
[A]m Uil
t
Sum Adi
q
[C]re Ma
'sco(pelus)' is a watchtower or lookout post; the letters s, t, q (perhaps secunda, tertia, quarta) and 'ang(ulus)' denote guard stations whose exact meaning is uncertain. Names are heavily abbreviated and their expansions here are tentative.
Working translation of the DDbDP edition, made with Claude Opus 5.5 from the edition and the catalogue records shown below (catalogued as Tableau de service en latin sur une amphore tronquée). It has not been reviewed by a papyrologist: check the edition before citing. Restorations follow the edition; […] marks lost text and (?) an uncertain reading.