A History of Ancient Geography

This 1897 textbook traces the progress of geographical writing from Homeric times to the end of Rome's western empire.

Henry Fanshawe Tozer (Author)

9781108078757, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 30 October 2014

432 pages, 10 maps
21.6 x 14 x 2.4 cm, 0.55 kg

A pioneer in establishing the study of geography in British universities, Henry Fanshawe Tozer (1829–1916) sought to share his deep appreciation of the subject's ancient authorities, particularly Strabo. His keen understanding of historical geography rested on first-hand knowledge of physical landscapes, gained during travels through Italy, Greece and Turkey. While E. H. Bunbury had already produced an extensive work along similar lines, Tozer believed that classicists as well as other readers would welcome a more manageable, single-volume textbook. First published in 1897, it traces the progress of geographical writing in Greek and Latin from the Homeric age to the end of Rome's western empire. Due attention is given along the way to such writers as Hecataeus, Herodotus, Strabo and Ptolemy, with the inclusion of maps that show their respective conceptions of the world. The impact of conquest, notably by Alexander the Great and the Romans, is also highlighted.

Preface
1. Introductory
2. Geography of the Homeric period
3. Spread of the Greek colonies
4. Early geographical speculations: Hecataeus
5. Herodotus
6. Expeditions before the time of Alexander
7. Alexander's eastern expedition
8. Geography under the successors of Alexander: the voyage of Pytheas
9. Mathematical geography
10. Physical and historical geography
11. Geography as promoted by the Roman conquests
12. Strabo
13. Geography from the death of Augustus to that of Trajan (14–117 AD)
14. Roman frontier defences and roads
15. Estimates of mountains in antiquity
16. Ptolemy and later geographers
Index.

Subject Areas: Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]