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Research Notes
Map Group PTOLEMY 1578
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Ptolemy 1578
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Map, British Isles from Ptolemy's data, by Gerhard Mercator, 1578.
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The geographical data, a world gazetteer 'Geographia', was compiled by Claudius
Ptolemy and later used by various cartographers to draw maps, often referred to
as Ptolemy maps. Gerhard Mercator, much of whose life was concerned with
revising Ptolemy's data, produced this map in 1578.
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These notes about Hampshire are made from Ptolemy's Map of Roman Britain,
drawn and published by Gerhard Mercator, 1578.
Mercator, Gerhard: 1578: Tabulae
Geographicae Cl. Ptolemaei ad mentem autoris restitutae et
emendatae Per Gerardum Mercatorem: (Cologne, Germany)
The
example studied was brought into Hampshire CC Museums Service for
identification and studied with the kind permission of the
owner.
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The map is in its 1st state, published in further editions
1584, 1605, 1618-19. The plate was altered and published in a 2nd
state 1695 to 1704; and in a 3rd state 1730. The map size is wxh
= 33.5x40.5cm.
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HAMPSHIRE from GEOGRAPHIA |
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MAP FEATURES |
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REFERENCES |
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ITEMS in the Collection |
| top of page |
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HAMPSHIRE |
from GEOGRAPHIA |
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The geographical data in 'Geographia', compiled by Claudius Ptolemy, relevant
to the Hampshire area is:-
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Location of Albion island of Britannia (1st map of Europe)
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...
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Description of the south side below which is the Britannicus
ocean. ...
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...
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mouth of the Alaunus river 17 40 52 20
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Great harbour 19 - 53 -
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mouth of the Trisantonis river 20 20 53 -
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...
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Below the Atrebati, and the Canti are the Regni and the town
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Noeomagus 19 45 53 5
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Below the Dobuni are the Belgae and the towns
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...
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Venta 18 40 53 -
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...
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Below Magnus Portus (Great harbour) is the island Vectis, the
middle of which is in 19 20 52 20
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The figures are longitude and latitude in degrees and minutes
on Ptolemy's scales.
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MAP FEATURES |
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NB mostly only features relevant to Hampshire are noticed.
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title
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Printed at the top:-
EUROPAE .I. TAB:
Europe map 1.
The map shows the British Isles with parts of France and
Germany.
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orientation
up is N
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The map is printed with north at the top.
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lat and long scales
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The map has latitude and longitude scales printed in the map
borders, based on a prime meridian 20 degrees W of Greenwich,
perhaps the Canary Islands?
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There is an interesting discussion of the projection of the
Ptolemy maps of Britain, with an explanation of the strange
distortion of Scotland etc, in:-
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Strang, Alastair: 1998: Recreating
a possible Flavian map of Roman Britain with a detail map of
Scotland: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland:
vol.128: pp.425-440
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sea area
sea pecked
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The sea is engraved with a pecked pattern. There is a
monstrous fish west of Ireland; and a fishing scene in the North
Sea. The sea area south of Hampshire is labelled:-
Britannicus oceanus
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coast line
coast shaded
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The coast line is shaded for emphasis.
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rivers
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A few rivers are drawn with wiggly lines; labelled at their
sea mouths. The Hampshire area has:-
Alaunis flu:
Trisanton fluvius
though not in their expected positions.
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tribal areas
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This map represents an England well before the concept of
county! It shows british tribal areas, bounded by dotted lines,
each labelled. The south central area includes:-
Belgae
Durotriges
Regni
A match to other plots of tribal areas has not been made; and
is likely to be hard. Winchester - Venta Belgarum, is drawn in
the region of the Belgae.
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settlements
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A few settlements are shown, positioned by a circle, with a
tower; labelled in italic lowercase text. Hampshire places,
roughly, seem to be:-
Magnus portus
Venta
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REFERENCES |
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Mercator, Gerhard: 1578: Tabulae Geographicae Cl. Ptolemaei ad mentem autoris
restitutae et emendatae Per Gerardum Mercatorem: (Cologne, Germany) |
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Close, Charles, Sir: 1931: Ancient
Maps of Great Briatin, with special reference to Hampshire:
ProcHFC: vol.10: pp.211-219
Stevenson, Edward L (translator;
editor): Claudius Ptolemy The Geography: Dover Publications (New
York, New York, United States)
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also see:-
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Ptolemy 1793, for more about Ptolemy's Geography
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ITEMS |
in HMCMS Map Collection and Private Collections (scanned item in bold)
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private collection (17) -- map
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All Old Hampshire Mapped Resources |