Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ancient Roman road map unveiled
BBC ^ | 26 Nov 2007 | Bethany Bell

Posted on 11/26/2007 6:58:07 PM PST by BGHater


The landmass and the seas have been stretched and flattened


The Tabula Peutingeriana is one of the Austrian National Library's greatest treasures.

The parchment scroll, made in the Middle Ages, is the only surviving copy of a road map from the late Roman Empire.

The document, which is almost seven metres long, shows the network of main Roman roads from Spain to India.

It is normally never shown to the public. The parchment is extremely fragile, and reacts badly to daylight.

But it has been on display for one day to celebrate its inclusion in Unesco's Memory of the World Register.

Practical guide

At first sight, it looks very unlike a modern map.

Every so often there is a pictogram of a building to show you that there was a hotel or a spa where you could stay

Andreas Fingernagel
Austrian National Library

Both the landmass and the seas have been stretched and flattened. The Mediterranean has been reduced to a thin strip of water, more like a river than a sea.

Instead of being oriented from north to south, the map, which is only 34 centimetres wide, works from west to east.

But despite its unfamiliar appearance, the director of the Department of Manuscripts, Autographs and Closed Collections at the Austrian National Library, Andreas Fingernagel, says it is an intensely practical document, more like a plan of the London Underground than a map.

"The red lines are the main roads. Every so often there is a little hook along the red lines which represents a rest stop - and the distance between hooks was one day's travel."

"Every so often there is a pictogram of a building to show you that there was a hotel or a spa where you could stay," he said.

"It was meant for the civil servants of the late Roman Empire, for couriers and travellers," he added.

Some of the buildings have large courtyards - a sign of more luxurious accommodation.

Clue to ancient world

At the centre of the Tabula Peutingeriana is Rome. The city, represented by a crowned figure on a throne, has numerous roads leading to and from the metropolis. Some, such as the Via Appia and the Via Aurelia, still exist today.

The Tabula Peutingeriana scroll dates from the late 12th or the early 13th century and was made in Southern Germany or Austria.

But Mr Fingernagel says it is very different from other medieval maps and is clearly a copy of a much earlier document, dating back to the 5th century.

"In maps from the 12th or 13th century, Jerusalem, not Rome, was in the centre," he said.

"The interests of map makers in the Middle Ages were quite different. They don't show roads or rest stations, instead they show the holy places of Christianity."

And the map contains other details which indicate the original probably dates back to the 5th century, including the city of Aquileia, which was destroyed in 452 by the Huns.

The scroll was named after one of its earlier owners, the Renaissance German humanist Konrad Peutinger.

Later it was obtained by the Imperial Library in Vienna - now the Austrian National Library.

"It's unique," said Mr Fingernagel. "It's the only map of the ancient world - although it's a copy - that gives us an impression of how things used to be."

The Tabula Peutingeriana was included in the Unesco Memory of the World Register this year, and was on limited view in Vienna on 26 November 2007.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: britain; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; history; latin; map; road; roman; romanbritain; romancatholicism; romanempire; romanroads; romantrade; rome; tabulapeutingeriana
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Detail from the Tabula Peutingeriana showing Rome on the right, represented by a crowned figure on a throne

1 posted on 11/26/2007 6:58:08 PM PST by BGHater
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Not ‘new’, but seldom seen. Ping.


2 posted on 11/26/2007 6:58:51 PM PST by BGHater (Lead. The MSG for the 21st Century.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

cool stuff.


3 posted on 11/26/2007 7:01:26 PM PST by Rb ver. 2.0 (If piece is the answer, Bill Clinton asked the question.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater; groanup

What a civilized society. Both golf courses look amazing! Long, narrow, bunkers, but the one on the bottom must be the best, the houses are huge off that course.


4 posted on 11/26/2007 7:02:01 PM PST by Professional
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Cool Find!


5 posted on 11/26/2007 7:03:09 PM PST by Crooked Constituent
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Professional
I was thinking more like a publication:
6 posted on 11/26/2007 7:04:00 PM PST by BGHater (Lead. The MSG for the 21st Century.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

I do a way better job in Civ III


7 posted on 11/26/2007 7:05:02 PM PST by Hegewisch Dupa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Does it show the chariot stops? The “Togas ‘R’ Us”?


8 posted on 11/26/2007 7:05:11 PM PST by exit82 (I believe Juanita--Hillary enabled Juanita's rapist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

All roads DO lead to Rome


9 posted on 11/26/2007 7:05:40 PM PST by Rudder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Looks like rest areas along the interstate.


10 posted on 11/26/2007 7:07:08 PM PST by SamAdams76 (Today I Officially OUTLIVE Freddie Mercury)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Well aside from all of this, what have the Romans ever done for us?


11 posted on 11/26/2007 7:08:24 PM PST by SamAdams76 (Today I Officially OUTLIVE Freddie Mercury)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Professional
the houses are huge off that course.

One is a very old and traditional clubhouse. The pro shop is fantastic.

12 posted on 11/26/2007 7:08:52 PM PST by groanup (Lawyers never create anything, especially wealth, but they sure steal a lot of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: exit82
Does it show the chariot stops? The “Togas ‘R’ Us”?

Burgus Rex?

Timinus Hortonsis?

13 posted on 11/26/2007 7:10:03 PM PST by Steely Tom (Steely's First Law of the Main Stream Media: if it doesn't advance the agenda, it's not news.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: groanup

The first course has a couple fake doglegs, confuses the heck out of folks, and for a muni is REALLY slow. I mean Rome could burn in the time it takes to play there on a w/e. The better bet, pay up for the south course!


14 posted on 11/26/2007 7:12:32 PM PST by Professional
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: exit82
Burger Emperor.

15 posted on 11/26/2007 7:13:07 PM PST by I see my hands (_8(|)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: BGHater
I see Rte 66. Man they must have had fun cruisin out to the Galillee coast in their souped up chariots!

In Omni Surfus est.

16 posted on 11/26/2007 7:21:11 PM PST by Candor7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Baghdad_(1258))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Hey, I can fold that up for ya!


17 posted on 11/26/2007 7:26:36 PM PST by AndrewB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Wow!


18 posted on 11/26/2007 7:31:52 PM PST by Eagles6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater
Excellent site here—>

http://www.euratlas.net/cartogra/peutinger/index.html

Entire map with clickable regions to zoom in and great explanations.

19 posted on 11/26/2007 7:36:26 PM PST by WSGilcrest (I'm beginning to realize I don't realize what I'm saying.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SamAdams76
"Well aside from all of this, what have the Romans ever done for us?"

Well...there are the aqueducts ;-)

20 posted on 11/26/2007 7:36:50 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson