Ptolemy's Geography An Annotated Translation of the Theoretical Chapters / J. Lennart Berggren and Alexander Jones.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ptolemaais, Klaudios, d. ca. 165 e.Kr.

Contributor:

Berggren, J. L.

Jones, Alexander.

Language:

English

Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Subjects (All):

Geography, Ancient.

Cartography.

Cartography--Greece--Early works to 1800.

Greece.

Ptolemy, active 2nd century. Geographia.

Ptolemy.

Genre:

Early works.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 192 pages) : illustrations, maps

Other Title:

Geography.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, 2000.

Summary:

Ptolemy's Geography is the only book on cartography to have survived from the classical period and one of the most influential scientific works of all time. Written in the second century AD, for more than fifteen centuries it was the most detailed topography of Europe and Asia available and the best reference on how to gather data and draw maps. Ptolemy championed the use of astronomical observation and applied mathematics in determining geographical locations. But more importantly, he introduced the practice of writing down coordinates of latitude and longitude for every feature drawn on a world map, so that someone else possessing only the text of the Geography could reproduce Ptolemy's map at any time, in whole or in part, at any scale. Here Berggren and Jones render an exemplary translation of the Geography and provide a thorough introduction, which treats the historical and technical background of Ptolemy's work, the contents of the Geography, and the later history of the work.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Illustrations

Preface

Note on Citations of Classical Authors

Introduction

Book 1

Book 2

Book 7

Book 8

Notes on the Plates and Maps

Maps 1-8

Appendix A: The Journeys of Flaccus and Maternus to the Aithiopians

Appendix B: Marinos' Calculation of the Latitude of Cape Prason

Appendix C: The Trade Route across Central Asia

Appendix D: The Breadth of the Mediterranean According to Marinos and Ptolemy

Appendix E: The Sail to Kattigara

Appendix F: The Miscellaneous Criticisms of Marinos' Data

Appendix G: Textual Notes

Appendix H: Geographical Index

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-188) and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691092591

0691092591

9780691214115

0691214115

OCLC:

1191864467