Ptolemy wrote his Geographica around the year 150 AD, and refers to a system of latitude and longitude, as well as a means of describing locations on earth based on astronomical observations from those areas.
The Ptolemy map is notable for its probable role in the Roman expansion. Roman maps where more or less restricted to the area comprised by what they called “Mare Nostrum”, since this was the core of the Roman Empire and around which all the administrative regions were distributed. Their need to control the Empire in the financial, economic, political, and military aspects, made evident the need to have maps of administrative boundaries, physical features, or road networks. Roman Empire and Cartographyĭuring Roman times, cartographers focused on practical uses: military and administrative needs. Unfortunately we only have indirect references to this work through other authors like Strabo from Elea, whose work is far better known in our time. Eratosthenes, already in the 3 rd century BC, contributed greatly to the history of geographic knowledge with his Geography and accompanying world map. When the geographers of the Greek era started estimating scientifically the circumference of the earth, a huge impulse was given to the cartographic science. Anaximander, for instance, was the first to draw a map of the known world, while Pythagoras of Samos speculated about the notion of a spherical earth with a central fire at its core. They performed deep study of the size and shape of the earth and its habitable areas, climatic zones and country positions. Ptolemy, Herodotus, Anaximander, Eratosthenes, all had tremendous influence on western earth sciences, including geography. It was the Greek civilization the one that helped to develop enormously the understanding of cartography as an important science for the society in general. The list is in progress to submit a map or cartographical event for consideration, please email your submission to Ancient Cartography and Mapmaking Throughout history, there are five maps that have been particularly noteworthy.įrom the earliest maps to maps that have played a significant role in history, listed here chronologically are notable events in the history of mapmaking as well as the world’s oldest maps. Still others make a famous map, then disappear from history forever. Others become famous, then create equally famous works for royalty, nobility, or well-known explorers of their time. Many cartographers only become famous for their contributions to the art and science of cartography after they’ve created a masterpiece. Sometimes, maps become more famous than their makers. It is also know the early representation of maps and routes by the old Egyptians on papyrus, but due to the short life of this type of surface, few evidences made it to our time. The oldest recorded route that we have evidence is a 9ft wall painting, found in 1963 of a town plan, showing buildings and a volcano, found in Anatolia, dated 6100-6300BC. Some of the cave paintings and other representations on bones and artifacts, which used to be viewed as mere artistic representations, have turned to be, according to the latest investigations, maps of hunting areas, streams, routes, and even maps of the stars. Baltimore, Maryland, USA, for example, is often omitted from maps of the United States not because of its size but because of space constraints and cluttering.The fascination and interest for the world that we inhabit, has been inherent to human nature since prehistoric times. Some cities are not included in many maps, often due to their size, but sometimes based on other characteristics.
They may also omit roads or other details if they clutter the map, or are not relevant to its purpose. Conversely, if a map is covering a large area, mapmakers may smooth out curves along a road to allow for clarity and legibility. Small-scale maps are still subject to a mapmaker's preferences a mapmaker may embellish a river or a stream, for example, with many more curves and bends in order to give it a more dramatic appearance. Maps covering small areas can include more realistic details, but maps that cover larger geographic areas include less detail by necessity. These distortions reflect a map's function and also its scale. There are also many ways in which geographic features (areas, lines, and points) are distorted.
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