Roman Empire Map from Spruner-Menke Atlas, 1880

Details

Description

This authentic map of the 19th century, titled "pontus et bithynia, asia, lycia et pamphylia, galatia, cappadocia, syria, cret, cyprvs," … Read more This authentic map of the 19th century, titled "pontus et bithynia, asia, lycia et pamphylia, galatia, cappadocia, syria, cret, cyprvs," details the regions of asia minor and surrounding territories during the roman empire. The map is interesting for a number of reasons: 1. **comprehensive detail**: it covers a wide range of regions that played significant roles in ancient history, from the cultural crossroads of asia minor to the strategic island of cyprus. 2. **geographical information**: it includes detailed topographical features such as mountain ranges, river systems, and coastlines, illustrating the complex geography that influenced ancient political and military strategies. 3. **historical context**: the map reflects the roman administrative organization of these provinces, which were critical for trade, military campaigns, and cultural exchange within the empire. 4. **inset maps**: the presence of inset maps for lycia, ionia, and asia minor provides focused details on regions that had substantial historical significance due to their cultural heritage and geopolitical importance. 5. **latin labels**: the use of latin in the map’s labels and s adds to the historical authenticity and would have served as a scholarly reference for 19th-century academics. 6. **ancient civilizations**: this area was the cradle of numerous ancient civilizations and the map likely includes cities of ancient greek, hellenistic, and roman significance, reflecting the layers of history that characterize these regions. 7. **strategic importance**: the provinces marked on the map had significant strategic importance in antiquity, serving as the front lines in various conflicts, including roman wars and later invasions. The period the map represents would be the roman period, potentially from the late republic to the imperial era (1st century bc to the 3rd century ad), a time when these regions were fully integrated into the roman empire. The map would provide valuable insight into the political and cultural landscape of these areas during one of the most influential periods of mediterranean history. The map is from the "spruner-menke atlas antiquus," which is a historical atlas created by karl spruner von merz, and later edited by theodorus menke. The atlas is known for its detailed maps of historical geographic regions, rendered with great precision and accompanied by scholarly research. These maps were particularly designed for educational use, providing a visual aid for the study of historical and ancient geography. The "spruner-menke atlas antiquus" is considered a significant work in the field of historical cartography and was published in the late 19th century. See less