Pomponius Mela's Description of the WorldThe Description of the World (Chorographia), written by Pomponius Mela, was last translated into English over 400 years ago, and is the earliest surviving geographical work in Latin. Although first published at the height of the Roman Empire, in roughly 44 C.E., Pomponius Mela's work circulated during Europe's great Age of Exploration. His description is in the form of a voyage around the three "known" continents--Africa, Asia, and Europe. Mela integrates geographical description with more familiar historical, cultural, and mythological information. F. E. Romer's translation and commentary on this work help the reader to appreciate the intellectual and physical shape of the ancient world as Mela and the Romans perceived it. Frank Romer's introduction assesses Mela as a literary and geographic writer, while his translation matches Mela's style. Mela knows of the Chinese and reports geographical and cultural information about Sri Lanka and India, as well as Mediterranean and European locales that are less remote to his experience. The outer edges of all the continents, including Europe, however, remained unfamiliar to the Romans, and it is on the inhabited world's outer edges that the creatures of legend and mythology were believed to live. Romer's commentary clarifies specific ideas raised in the text. He identifies and explains issues, and he points the reader to ancient sources and modern studies. This new study will intrigue students and teachers of ancient history. This edition of Mela's geography will be of interest to map lovers, historians, classicists, and anyone interested in history of travel, geography, and education. F.E. Romer is Professor and Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, East Carolina University. He is the author of numerous articles and has received awards for both his writing and teaching. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Around Our Sea from the Pillars of Hercules to the End of Asia | 33 |
Around Our Sea from the End of Asia to the Pillars of Hercules | 68 |
Around the World the Circle of Ocean from the Pillars of Hercules | 103 |
| 133 | |
Index | 137 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adriatic Aegypt Aethiopians Africa Alexander ancient animals antichthôn Antichthones Arabian Gulf Asia Atlantic bend beside borders Bosphorus Brodersen 1994 called Carthage Caspian Caspian Sea cave Chorography cities Claudius coast coastline continents descends described earth extends famous farther flows founded Gaul genre geography Greek Hellespont Hercules Herodotus huge Hyperboreans identified inhabit interior Ionian Ionian Sea island Italy journey King known world Lake land Latin legend littoral located Maeotis Mauretania Mediterranean Mela's modern mountains mouth narrative narrow Nile Nomads Ocean once opposite orbis ordo Parroni Peloponnesos peninsula Periplus Persian Phoenicians Pillars of Hercules Pliny Pliny HN Pomponius Mela Pontus proem promontory puzzling reaches reader region renowned river Roman Rome sail Scythian Scyths shoreline shores side Silberman 1988 Spain story Strabo Strait of Gibraltar swamp Tanaïs Taurus territory Thrace Thracian tion town tradition translation whole writers