The Bu Njem Ostraca

The basilica in the Principia, seen from the place where the ostraca were found

Gholaia: Roman fort, part of the Limes Tripolitanus, modern Bu Njem.

Ostraca

The Roman fort at Gholaia (Bu Njem) was built to protect an oasis and belongs to the Limes Tripolitanus. During the excavations, 146 documents were discovered, written on sherds ("ostraca"). They were written in vulgar (non-literary) Latin by four clerks, who must have belonged to the Third legion Augusta. They can be dated to 254-c.259. In the official publication, they are divided into five categories.

Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine

The Principia of Bu Njem

62 daily reports (#1-#62)
4 lists (#63-#66)
7 accounts (#67-#73)
44 letters received (#74-#117)
28 other documents (#118-#145)

Document #146 was written in Punic. Below, you will find three examples. Go to this page if you want to know more about the way the text is published over here.

Document 71 (an account):

5	<...>NOVEMBris INTROIERVNT GARAMANTES DVCENTES ASINOS Nvmero IIII ET AEGIPTIOS Nvmero II FERENTES LIT TERAS AT TE GTASAZEIHEME OPTER SERVV FVGITIVV
	On the <...>th of November, the Garamantes arrived, bringing four asses and two Egyptians carrying letters to you, Gtasazeiheme Opter, with a runaway slave.

Document 36 (a report):

5	MISSVS AD LIGNVM BALNEI ADSERVATOR AEGRI IVLIVS IANVARIVS CAECILIVS <...>	I I IIII
5	Sent out to cut wood for the bathhouse Guard duty On sick leave Julius Januarius Caecilius <...>	1 2 4

Document 5 (another report):

	XVI KALendas IVLias Nvmervs	LXXXXVI
	TIRONES Nvmervs	LXIIII
	IN HIS EQvites	III
	QVINTANARI	XXII
5	AD BALNEVM	VIII
	DE SPECtacvLIS	I
	AD PRAEPOSITVM	I
	AD STationem CAMELLARiorvm	I
	OPTIO	I
10	ITEM RVFVS	I
	AEGRI	IIII
	EXCVSANTVR	XXVIII
	RELIQVI MVNIFICES	XXVI
	BALNEVS ACCIPIT
15	<...>
5 10 15	16 June, number Number of recruits of which cavalry quintanari To the bathhouse From the shows To the commander of the auxiliaries To the dromedaries' station Optio item Rufus On sick leave Exempted Other details The bathhouse received Illegible	96 64 3 11 8 1 1 1 1 1 4 28 26

Literature

Robert Marichal, Les Ostraca de Bu Njem (1992 Tripoli = Libya Antiqua, suppl.9).
Jona Lendering, "Sherds from the Desert. The Bu Njem Ostraca" in: Ancient Warfare 1/2 (2007)

Ostraca