Rome: Latin Inscription Reader

Read and understand Latin inscriptions — the photo is read on the device, no account and no server of ours

Privacy policy

Last updated: 5 September 2026

Rome: Latin Inscription Reader (“Latin Scan” on the home screen) helps you read Latin inscriptions. We run no server for this app, there is no account or login, and the app contains no analytics, no advertising, no tracking and no third-party SDKs. We receive no data from you. Photos are read on your device and are not stored. The only network traffic is the map tiles of the Atlas, loaded from Apple Maps (see below).

In short

Rome: Latin Inscription Reader collects no data on our side. No account, no login, no analytics, no advertising, no tracking, no third-party SDKs, and we run no server for the app. Photos are read on your device and are not stored.

What data does the app process?

• Camera (optional): For one still photo of an inscription. The photo is read on your device with Apple’s text recognition and the app’s own rules; it is not stored and never uploaded. If you save a reading, only its text is kept.
• Photos (optional): “Choose a photo” uses the system photo picker; the app receives only the picture you select. Saving a card to your photos asks for add-only access; the app never reads your library.
• Location while using the app (optional): Only if you tap “Near me” in the Atlas. Your approximate position (about one kilometre) is used on your device to sort inscriptions and places by distance. It is not stored and never sent to us or anyone else.
• Apple Maps: The Atlas map loads its tiles from Apple. We receive nothing.
• Data on your device: Saved readings (text only, at most 100), saved inscriptions, read marks, course progress and settings are stored only on your device. We cannot see them, and they are not synced to us. iOS may include them in your device backup under Apple’s terms. Removing the app deletes them.

You can change or withdraw any permission at any time in iOS Settings under Latin Scan; the app works without each of them. The list view of the Atlas works without a network.

Where does this data go?

To us: nowhere. There is no server of ours, no cloud sync and no interface to analytics or advertising services. The only exception are the map requests of the Atlas to Apple Maps (Apple Inc. / Apple Distribution International Ltd., USA/Ireland). Apple’s privacy policy applies to them; we have no influence on them and receive no responses or logs.

Sources, licences and purchase

The Latin texts are ancient and in the public domain; each inscription gives its corpus number (CIL, RIB …). Translations, explanations, the course and the tables are our own work. Word forms build on William Whitaker’s WORDS. The typeface Cinzel is under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. Photographs from Wikimedia Commons, where included, are credited with author and licence (in the app under “Credits & Licenses”).

The one-time purchase is handled entirely by Apple through the App Store; we receive no payment data. There are no in-app purchases and no subscription. Refunds are handled by Apple (reportaproblem.apple.com).

Retention, deletion and your rights

We hold no data from Rome: Latin Inscription Reader, so there is nothing to access, correct or delete on our side. Your saved readings, course progress and settings live only on your device and disappear when you remove the app. For requests made to Apple Maps, contact Apple. Under the Swiss Data Protection Act and, where applicable, the GDPR you may ask about personal data we hold; this concerns only messages you send us by e-mail. Questions: info@babala.ch. Instructions are under “Delete data” at the top of this page. If this policy changes, the new version will be published here with a new date.

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