Ancient Geography Database

[Emperor Qianlong]

Part #19 - "India beyond the Ganges" - the Indochina Penninsula

Time Period: 2nd century AD (or earlier?)

We do not know how up to date Ptolemy's sources were in the first place (though obviously between the 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD), and we do not know where Ptolemy got all his data from. The names must be assumed to be heavily corrupted (at least native language to Sanskrit to Greek, probably more). Nonetheless, Ptolemy gives, especially for this extreme distances (Singapore is located 8400 kilometers away from Alexandria, it is in fact the farthest recognizable point on the map!) incredibly accurate data in terms of coordinates.

The "Cirrhadeorum" Region
This region very roughly corresponds with the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.

"Pentapolis" - "Five Cities"

Catabae River Mouth (possibly the Karnaphuli River)

Bracura Trading Post

Tocofannae River

The Silver Region
This region corresponds with the coast of Burma.

Samba Town

Mouth of the Sadi River

Sada Town

Berabona Trading Post

Tamalae River

Tamala Town

The Polipsam Promontory - this corresponds with the promontory of Burma located west of the Irrawaddy Delta, approximately at 15°58' N 94°15' E.

Sarabaco Bay (the Gulf of Martaban)

Sabaca Town

Besyngae River (possibly the Irrawaddy River) and Besyngae Town

Berobae Town (presumably meant as "Town of the Berobae tribe")

Berobae Promontory (the promontory at 13°35'N 98° 8' E ) - located significantly farther south than the town.

The Golden Penninsula (Aure Cherosonesus)
This region corresponds with the Malaya penninsula, that is the panhandles of Burma and Thailand, as well as the continental part of Malaysia.

Tacola Trade Post - somewhere in the Tanintharyi Region

Tacola Promontory - given the distortion of the penninsula, it's difficult to tell, but Ptolemy may be refering to Phuket.

Cryolanae River - located somewhere at the western coast of Malaysia.

Sabana Trade Post - Ptolemy gives it as the southernmost spot, which would interestingly correspond with Singapore.

Palandae River - possibly the Rompin river (it's located at an indent at the east coast, making it the most logical choice).

Malecolon Promontory - possibly at Bukit Tanjung Gelang or Kijal.

Colipolis - somewhere in northeastern Malaysia.

Perimula - somewhere along the coast of the Thailand Panhandle (if Ptolemy's coordinates are accurate, which is doubtful, it would be at the same latitude as the Tacola Promontory.

"Perimulicus Bay" (Gulf of Thailand)
This region covers the coastal strip from Thailand towards Vietnam. The Ptolemy gives the following places (west to east):

Samarada - near the location of Bangkok

Pagala

Sobani River Mouth

Tipinobasli Trading Post

Acadra

Zabae Town

The Great Bay (Magnus Sinus - South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin)
This region covers the eastern coast of Vietnam and possibly the coast of Guangxi. For this region, Ptolemy gives the following places, south to north:

Great Promontory - This corresponds with the southern tip of Vietnam at 8°39' N, 104° 53' E. This is also the last point that is readily identifiable by geographic features.

Tagora

Balonga Metropolis

Troana

Droana River Mouth

Cortata metropolis

Sinda Town

Pagrasa

Doriae River Mouth (The Red River?)

Aganegara

Seri River Mouth - if Ptolemy's coordinates can be given any credibility this far away, this river should be located at the Guangxi province of China.

An Interpretation of Ptolemy's Data
In general, we know relatively little about this time period in Southeast Asia. Generally, the region was culturally and religiously heavily influenced by India.

- In the area of Burma, there were the city states of the Pyu people.
- In the area of Cambodia, as well as adjacent areas towards the west (including the northern parts of the Malayan Penninsula), the Khmer-speaking Funan Kingdom was situated.
- in the area of southern Vietnam, there may have been ancestors of the later Cham-speaking peoples. However, the later kingdom of Champa was not founded yet.
- the northern areas of Vietnam were part of the Chinese Han Dynasty.

Based on that, we get the following picture:
- The Silver Region and the western part of the Sarabaco Bay would have been within the realm of influence of the Pyu city states.
- The northern parts of the Golden Penninsula as well as the Perimulicus Bay were probably part of the Funan Kingdom.
- The southern parts of the "Great Bay" labeled by Ptolemy would be in Cham areas, whereas the northern areas would be part of the Han Dynasty.

 

[Thande]

Singapore is an interesting one, although I can't see any native name in that era that could have been rendered as 'Sabana'. As far as I can tell, the Malay name at that point simply meant "the island at the end of the land".

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Singapore is an interesting one, although I can't see any native name in that era that could have been rendered as 'Sabana'. As far as I can tell, the Malay name at that point simply meant "the island at the end of the land".

Yes, I definitely agree it's an exonym. I've suspected that it's derived from Sanskrit (which after was also a liturgical language and probably also a lingua franca in the Indian-influenced regions in Southeast Asia), but I don't know that much about Sanskrit to tell.

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Part #20 - Ancient Sri Lanka (Taprobane)

Time period: 2nd century AD (though probably earlier, as early as the conquests of Alexander, ie 4th century BC)

Sri Lanka is refered to as "Taprobane" in ancient sources, which probably derives from Sanskrit (with the possible etymology as "copper-colored"). Politically, the island was under control of the Buddhist Anuradhapura Kingdom, which was based at the city of Anuradhapura (called "Anurogrammum" by Ptolemy). The people of the Anuradhapura Kingdom probably spoke a Pakritic (vernacular Indic) dialect that would be the ancestor of the modern Singhalese language, which was written in a variant of the Brahmi script.

The coastal features are arranged by Ptolemy counter-clockwise along the coast, starting out at the 'Northern Promontory', which is tosay the Jaffna Penninsula. Interestingly, although Ptolemy's Taprobane is reasonably accurate in terms of it's coastline, it is vastly supersized. If Ptolemy's coordinates for the northern and southermost spots were projected 1:1 onto our coordinate system, the distance between these points would be about 1670 kilometers, which is almost four times the actual distance between these two points!

Coastal features mentioned by Ptolemy:

Northern Promontory - the Jaffna penninsula
Galiba Promontory - the promontory near Veravil
Margana town - Mannar?
Iogana town - this is today a rather empty strip of coast, however, the town must have been located near 8°40'37'' N, 79°57'05'' E.
Anarifinundi promontory
Mouth of the Soanax river - located somewhat north of Puttalam
Sindocanda town - north of Akkaraweli
Priapidis harbour - just north of Chilaw
Arubingara harbour - near Negombo
Pralodis Bay - the bay north of Ja-Ela
Iouis promontory - near Colombo
Nubartha town - near Beruwela?
Mouth of the Azani river (the Gin river?)
Hordoca town (near Galle?)
Ornetum promontory (the promontory south of Unawatuna?)
Dadana town / bay (perhaps near Tangalla???)
Corcobara town (Hambantota?)
Dionisiileubachi town (???) approximately near 6°25'23.15"N, 81°36'53.75"E - this is clearly a corruption and an exonym, as it has the Greek/Roman deity names "Dionysos" and "Bacchus" in them.
Ceraeum promontory (???)
Baraci river mouth (the river south of Thirukkovil?)
Bocana town - near Akkaraipattu
Mordula habour near Kalmunai?
Baratbra town and promontory (Batticaloa?)
Solis harbour (near Eravur?)
"Maguum" Shore (High Shore?)
Rhocuri town and promo (near Arukarkudah?)
Oxia promontory (Northeast of Mutur)
Gangis flumen (the river that empties into the Tcrincomalee bay?)
Spatana river - another river that empties into the Bay?
(A)gadiba town (possibly Kumpurupiddi?)
The Pati Tip ( 8°51'55.57"N, 81° 4'42.71"E )
Anubingara town - near Pulmoddai?
Muducti market place / free port (southeast of Kumulamanai)
Phalis river (???) - the bay near Chundikkulam???
(A)lacori market place / free port - north of Kilinochchi
Port near northern Pro. - northeast of Chavakchcheri

Inland towns:

"The royal seat of Anurogrammum" - Anuradhapura
"The Great city of Maagram" - Along the Spaltana river?
Adilanum - possibly Polonnaruwa
Poduca - near Kurunegala?
Vispada - southwest from Nuwara Eliya??
Nacadurna - somewhere in the southeast, approximately near Bandarawela??

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Part #21 - Fourth Supplementary on Hispania (the Celtic Interior of Hispania Tarraconensis)

Time Period: 2nd century AD

This area is a strip that covers roughly the modern areas of Castille & Leon, the Madrid Province and Castille-La-Mancha, as well as northeastern proportions of Andalusia (northern source area of the Guadalquivir river). The three main tribes in these areas are the Vaccaei (north, along the Duero river), Carpetani (center) and Oretani (south). Of these, the Oretani are of particular mentioning, because of the town name "Oretum Germanorum". These Oretanian "Germani" apparently were a subtribe of the Oretani. While it has been suggested (spectacularly enough) that these "Germani" actually migrated from Germania, once has to consider that the term "Germani" is an exonym of probably Celtic origin, and it would be equally plausible for a Celtic tribe to use the name "Germani" as a tribal name.

In addition there's smaller Turmodigi in the north (which I didn't know where else to include), which are sandwiched between the Autrigones, Cantabrians, Celtiberians and Vaccaei.

Towns of the Carpetani:
Illurbida (La Pueblanueva, Toledo Province)
Egelesta (???)
Ilarcuris (Illescas, Toledo Province)
Thermida (???)
Titulicia (Titulcia, Madrid Province)
Mantua (???)
Toletum (Toledo)
Complutum (Alcala de Henares, Madrid Province)
Caracca (Guadalajara)
Libora (???)
Ispinum (Espinoso del Rey)
Metercosa (Santorcaz)
Barnacis (Torrelaguna)
Alternia (Arganda del Rey)
Paterniana (???)
Rigusa (???)
Laminium (???)

Towns of the Oretani:
Salaria (near Ubeda, Andalusia)
Sisapone (Bienvenida near Almodovar del Campo)
Oretum Germanorum (Granatula de Calatrava)
Aemiliana (???)
Mirobriga (Capilla, Badajoz)
Salica (???)
Libisosa (Lezuza, Castille-La-Mancha)
Castulo (near Linares, Jaen Province)
Lupparia (???)
Mentesa (Villanueva de la Fuente, Castille-La-Mancha)
Cervaria (???)
Biatia (Baeza, Jaen Province)
Laccuris (Ciudad Real)
Tuia (Toya, Jaen Province?)

Towns of the Vaccaei:
Bargiacis (???)
Intercatia (Paredes de Nava)
Viminacium (???)
Autraca (???)
Lacobriga (Carrion de los Condes)
Avia (???)
Segontia Paramica (???)
Gella (???)
Albocela or Arbucala (Zamora)
Rauda (Roa)
Segisama Julia (???)
Pallantia or Palantia Ocalam (Palencia) - capital of the Vaccaei
Eldana
Cougium (???)
Cauca (Coca de Alba?)
Octodurum (???)
Pintia (Padilla de Duero)
Sentica (Pedrosillo de los Aires) - by the location, this may have been a town of the Vettones, instead
Sarabris (Medina del Campo)

Towns of the Morbogi or Turmodigi:
Bravum (Hermueces?)
Sisaraca or Pisoraca (Herrera de Pisuerga)
Deobrigula or Teobrigula (Tardajos)
Ambisna (Pampliega?)
Segisamum or Segisama (Sesamon) - "Sekisamos" in Celtiberian

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Part #22 - Third Supplementary on Germania Magna

Part I) Germania before the 1st century BC
The origins of the Germanic people presumably lie in the Nordic Bronze Age of Scandinavia. Starting in the 6th century BC, they began migrating southwards into the area of what today is northern Germany, where they came into contact with the Celtic peoples who were living further south. Germanic expansion continued westwards, eastwards and southwards, and by the 2nd century BC, the Mediterranean civilization became confronted by the first migrating Germanic tribes.

Germania according to Pytheas of Massilia (4th century BC)
Our oldest known source mentioning the Germanic peoples is Pytheas of Massilia, a Greek who visited northern Europe (in particular Britain, but also further eastwards) in the late 4th century BC. He mentions the "Gutones" (presumably Goths) along the shores of the "Mentonomon Ocean" (presumably the Baltic Sea), as well as their neighbours, the Toutones or Teutones.

The usage of the term "Germani"(3rd to 1st centuries BC)
Ancient sources are very inconsistent in the usage of the term "Germani". For instance, the (overtly Gaulish!) Insubres and Cenomani in northern Italy are called "Germani" by the Consul Marcellus in 3rd century BC. What is clear is that the term is of Celtic origin (with the possible etymology of "related", "kindred" or "neighbours"). Conversely, the Cimbri and Teutones were at first considered Celts. Later on, Caesar considers a number of Belgic and Gaulish tribes "Germani", despite the fact that most of them bear overtly Celtic names. It was also Caesar who came up with the usage of Germania as a geographic term, and who arbitrarily set the border between Gallia and Germania at the Rhine. Part of this was certainly politically motivated, especially so that Caesar could portray his campaign of the conquest of Gaul as "completed". The modern sense of "Germanic" peoples (as an ethnolinguistic group) can be seen approximately from Tacitus onwards.

The Celtic tribes of Germania (4th to 1st centuries BC)
In the 6th century BC, the approximate areas of southern Germany (south of the river Main), Austria and the Czech Republic were part of the Celtic Hallstatt Culture. As the Germanic peoples migrated southwards, they increasingly intermingled with the Celts, in particular in the region of the Rhine Delta (the so-called "Northwest Block"). The Greeks refered to these Celtic lands north of the Danube as Orkynia or Hercynia, and much later Caesar re-uses the term and refers to a "Hercynian Forest". Although the Celts north of the Danube were in decline from the 3rd century BC onward, what really brought about their downfall was the Roman conquest of Gaul. With the artificial boundary placed at the Rhine, the trade networks into Germania collapsed (which can be seen by the destruction of Celtic forts in the area of southern Germany in the decades after the Bello Gallico), and in the following period, what remained of Celtic tribes was absorbed afterwards by the Germanic tribes that migrated into these areas (Markomanni, Quadi, Suebi, etc.). Nonetheless, a few Celtic tribes can be identified and localized, which I will list here (note that this is somewhat anachronistic):

Boii - originally (4th century BC) in the area of Bohemia and northeastern Bavaria (which presumably derive their names from the Boii), later migrated to Cisalpine Gaul (Bologna) and the Balkans. Nonetheless, a remnant of the Boii must have lingered in their original homeland until the end of the 1st century BC when they were overwhelmed by the Markomanni.
Cotini - a Celtic tribe living in the approximate area of Slovakia ( at the western edge of the Carpathians), where they were known for their iron mining. Following the Markomannic Wars, they were resettled by the Romans into the Pannonian Basin.
Helvetii - originally, they lived approximately the area of central-northern Württemberg (before 1st century BC). They migrated southward in an attempt to invade northern Italy, however they were defeated by Caesar, who forced them to settle down in the area of modern Switzerland. Ptolemy still mentions the former Helvetian area in southern Germany as "Helvetian Desert".
Nemetes - originally lived in the northern Black Forest area. Some time in the 1st century AD settled they across the Rhine in the area of the Rhenish Palatinate, with Noviomagus Nemetum (Speyer) as their main town.
Volcae - originally (according to Eratosthenes, late 3rd century BC) living somewhere in the Hercynian forest (perhaps on the area of Moravia), they participated in the Celtic invasion of Greece, and a part of them (the Tectosages) moved on into Anatolia to found the kingdom of Galatia. Another part of them later settled in southern Gaul (around the area of modern Tolouse). According to Caesar, there were still Volcae living in the Hercynian areas in the 1st century BC, but it's likely to assume that they disappeared soon afterwards.

Part II) Germanic tribes in the 1st century BC through 2nd century AD
In order to accomodate for the various geographic and linguistic ties of the Germanic tribes, I have split them into several groups:

IIa) The North Sea Group
These Germanic tribes lived in the lands adjacent to the North Sea. Tacitus mentions a tribal confederation compromising the tribes of this area (the Ingvaeones). Linguistically, they probably spoke a common dialect that would later give rise to Frisian, Old Saxon and Anglo-Saxon.

- Angli or Angles (modern-day Holstein) - Ptolemy considers them part of the Suebi.
- Chauci or Cauchi (Ptolemy divides them into the Lesser Chauchi, at the mouth of the Weser, and the Greater Cauchi, near the mouth of the Elbe)
- Charudes
- Dulgubnii
- Frisians (along the North Sea coast, though probably more westward than their modern areas)
- Fundusii
- Sabalingi
- Saxons (mentioned first by Ptolemy, originally in Holstein, probably adjacent to the mouth of the Elbe)
- Sigulones

IIb) The Western (Rhine-Weser) Group
These include the Germanic peoples which lived in the approximate area between the Rhine and the Weser rivers. Tacitus mentions a tribal confederation to exist in this area (the Istvaeones). Just like Gallia Belgica this region was part of the Celto-Germanic contact zone, and just like on the other side of the Rhine, the actual ethnolinguistic affiliation of some of the tribes is somewhat unclear, as their leaders often carried Celtic or Celticized names. In any case, in the following centuries, these tribes would merge to form the Franks.

- Ampsivari - along the mouth of the Ems
- Bructeri
- Chamavi - northern Rhine delta.
- Chatti - the ancestors of the Hessians.
- Cugerni or Kuberni - possibly formed by remnants of the Cugerni
- Marsi - participated in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest against the Romans
- Mattiaci - possibly a branch of the Chatti
- Sicambri or Sugambri (possibly Celtic or Celticized, judging from their personal names such as "Baetorix" and "Deudorix").
Tencteri or "Tegkteroi" - according to Caesar, they crossed the Rhine in the 1st BC along with the Usipetes.
- Toxandrii
- Usipetes
- Vangiones

IIc) The Central (Elbe) Group
This region roughly corresponds with the central areas up to the Elbe, as well as southern areas, where the Germanic tribes eventually expanded to the Limes Germanicus and the Danube. Tacitus mentions a tribal confederation in this area, the Hermiones or Irmiones.

- Chasuari (according to Ptolemy, a sub-tribe of the Suebi)
- Hermunduri (Thuringia, possibly also the ancestors of the later Thuringians)
- Langobardi (originally near the Elbe, later migrated into Italy)
- Markomanni ("border men"): under their leader Marobuduus, they migrated into Bohemia in the 1st century BC, fought a series of major military campaigns against the Romans in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, ravaging Roman provinces along the Danube.
- Nuitiones
- Quadi - migrated together with the Markomanni to the Danube.
- Semnones (according to Ptolemy, a subtribe of the Suebi) - possibly in the Havel river area
- Suebi
- Suardones
- Turones (these may have been a Celtic tribe, perhaps even related with the Turones of Gaul)
- Varisci (or Naristi?)

IId) The Oder Group
These (presumably East Germanic speaking) peoples were probably part of the Przeworsk Culture.

- Burgundians (originally, possibly along the Oder)
- Calucones (a subtribe of the Vandals)
- Silingi (a subtribe of the Vandals)
- Lugii or Lugians - a tribal confederation (judging from typonomy, originally possibly Celtic), included a number of sub-tribes (Buri, Diduni, Helveconae, Omani)
- Visburgii (Slovakia?)

IIe) The Vistula Group
These were the easternmost group of Germanic peoples (who also spoke East Germanic languages), in archaeology probably reprsented by the Wielbark Culture along the Vistula.

- Bastarnae (uncertain ethnic affiliation, in any case, Ptolemy places them into Sarmatia geographically)
- Gepids (possibly a sub-tribe of the Goths, mentioned only from the 3rd century onward, who established a short-lived kingdom on the area of former Dacia)
- Goths, Ptolemy places them into Sarmatia, adjacent to the Vistula
- Heruli
- Rugians (near the island of Rügen, which still bears thei name)
- Scirii (possibly Scytho-Germanic mix)

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Somewhat slightly out of context (though then again, I've been jumping quite a bit latels), I found this map of the British Isles based off Ptolemy's data. Note how the "bend" of Scotland is almost coincidential with the Hadrian's Wall. This in turn also easily explains the source of the distortion: Ptolemy simply had a data deficiency beyond the Hadrian's Wall.

 

[Thande]

Somewhat slightly out of context (though then again, I've been jumping quite a bit latels), I found this map of the British Isles based off Ptolemy's data. Note how the "bend" of Scotland is almost coincidential with the Hadrian's Wall. This in turn also easily explains the source of the distortion: Ptolemy simply had a data deficiency beyond the Hadrian's Wall.

h][/QUOTE]
Was there more than one Camulodunum or is it in the wrong place on the map?

 

[Lord Hastur of Carcosa]

Was there more than one Camulodunum or is it in the wrong place on the map?

It's likely that there was more than one, though the only one I'm aware of in the British Isles is Colchester.

 

[Thande]

It's likely that there was more than one, though the only one I'm aware of in the British Isles is Colchester.

That's what I mean, the Camulodunum on that map is north of Lindum (Lincoln) whereas Colchester is down in Essex.

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Was there more than one Camulodunum or is it in the wrong place on the map?

Well, you definitely found something that made me confused, and I'm not sure which the answer is:

- The "real" Camulodunum would be the Camulodunum of the Trinovantes, which today is Colchester. I wouldn't rule out that there were different Camulodunums, though. The name is kind of too catchy for that (Camulos = a Celtic war god, and "-dunum" = fort).

- The other Camulodunum from the map is inside the territory of the Brigantes. I've checked and re-checked things, and I did note said town as "Cambodunum", which is Calderdale. I'm not sure which version is the correct one, and I'll have to get back to my Latin version of Ptolemy's Geography to find out which version is the correct one.

 

[Thande]

- The other Camulodunum from the map is inside the territory of the Brigantes. I've checked and re-checked things, and I did note said town as "Cambodunum", which is Calderdale. I'm not sure which version is the correct one, and I'll have to get back to my Latin version of Ptolemy's Geography to find out which version is the correct one.

Ah, it could be a mis-copying by the mapmaker then. Or it could be another Camulodunum (the Romans were almost as unoriginal when it came to naming stuff as the Spanish, after all) and your version of Ptolemy is wrong? Could be either.

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Ah, it could be a mis-copying by the mapmaker then. Or it could be another Camulodunum (the Romans were almost as unoriginal when it came to naming stuff as the Spanish, after all) and your version of Ptolemy is wrong? Could be either.

Both is definitely possible. Also, it's not just that the Romans were uncreative with town names, it's the same with the Celts. There's like dozens of towns named "Mediolanon" (Central Place / Market), "Noviodunon" (New Fort) and most importantly "Eburodunon" (Yew Fort). The Romans were just the tad more uncreative to simply latinize them. Regarding the version, when I made that installment, I actually didn't have access to the Latin version yet, but it's entirely possible that it's a transmission error, since those simply occur sporadically.

 

[Thande]

Both is definitely possible. Also, it's not just that the Romans were uncreative with town names, it's the same with the Celts. There's like dozens of towns named "Mediolanon" (Central Place / Market), "Noviodunon" (New Fort) and most importantly "Eburodunon" (Yew Fort). The Romans were just the tad more uncreative to simply latinize them. Regarding the version, when I made that installment, I actually didn't have access to the Latin version yet, but it's entirely possible that it's a transmission error, since those simply occur sporadically.

I suspect Mediolanon is the Celtic equivalent of Springfield in the US

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

I suspect Mediolanon is the Celtic equivalent of Springfield in the US

LOL. That has potential for some very offbeat ATLs...

Anyways, I checked and re-checked, and the Latin version gives the following towns for the Brigantes:

Epiacum (Alston)
Vinniovium (Binchester)
Caturactonium (Catterick)
Calatum (Burrow)
Isurium (Aldborough)
Rhigodunum (Castleshaw)
Olicauca (Ilkley)
Eboracum (York)
Camelodunum (Calderdale) - also given as site of the "Legio Sexta Victrix"

So, in other words, yes, the error was in the version I previously used.

 

[Theodoric]

Any chance of you telling us about the Slavic peoples? Their early history is mightily confusing and shaded in mystery, it seems.

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

Any chance of you telling us about the Slavic peoples? Their early history is mightily confusing and shaded in mystery, it seems.

Ah, yes. I was eventually going to get there. The origins of the Slavs are indeed verymuch shrouded in mystery, to much of my own dismay. I am (amongst other things) working on an installment regarding Ptolemy's European Sarmatia (which I had hoped would give some insights), which although Ptolemy gives comparably few loalizations there (far fewer than in Germania Magna), he mentions a large number of tribes. The problem is that very few of these tribes are readily identifiable in terms of ethnic affiliation, and those few that are are either Germanic (ie, Goths), Iranic (Alani, Roxolani, etc.) or Baltic (Galindians). There is a very large number of tribes which can simply not be identified by their ethnic affiliation just based on names (in particular beause for some have overtly exonyms like "Melanchlaeni" = "Black cloaks" or "Hippopodes" = "Horse feet"), however by their rough geographic position one has to assume that the bulk of these should be either Baltic or (more probably) Slavic.

In any case, once Sarmatia is ready, I shall gladly post it in here.

 

[Emperor Qianlong]

After a prolonged hiatus, I would like to post something else here, namely a map of the Known World according to Ptolemy in order to give an overview. What I did was sorting it according to the books (represented by different colors on the map), and the individual chapters per book. Darker shades of colors represent areas outside of the Roman empire. Dark grey areas represent Unknown Lands. Note that the first book is actually the second book (because Ptolemy also wrote a very long introduction on how to reconstruct his map), and the sixth book is hence actually the seventh book. Another note that I generally should make is that unless the border is given by rivers, it is extremely arbitrary, even by Ptolemy himself. Also, the fact that it is a single chapter says nothing about the actual amount of detail for the respective area. Some chapters are very long and very detailed and many pages long, other, smaller chapters are just a dozen towns and a short list of the local geographic features and tribes.

First Book
1.1 Hibernia (Ireland)
1.2 Albion (Great Britain)
1.3 Hispania Baetica
1.4 Hispania Lusitania
1.5 Hispania Tarraconensis
1.6 Gallia Aquitania
1.7 Gallia Lugdunensis
1.8 Gallia Belgica
1.9 Gallia Narbonensis
1.10 Germania Magna
1.11 Raetia
1.12 Vindelicia
1.13 Noricum
1.14 Pannonia Superior
1.15 Pannonia Inferior
1.16 Illyria, Liburnia and Dalmatia

Notes: the entry on Thule (presumed to be the coast of Norway) is actually with Britain, not Germany as you might guess from the map. In Ptolemy's projection, you do not make the connection between Thule and Scania because of the distances.

Second Book
2.1 Italy
2.2 Corsica
2.3 Sardinia
2.4 Sicily
2.5 European Sarmatia
2.6 The Tauric Penninsula (Crimea)
2.7 Iazyges Metanastae
2.8 Dacia
2.9 Upper Moesia
2.10 Lower Moesia
2.11 Thracia
2.12 Thracian Penninsula
2.13 Macedonia
2.14 Epirus
2.15 Achaia
2.16 Peloponese
2.17 Crete

Notes: 2.12 is missing on the map. That is not a mistake, it is because it is simply too small to show/label. The "Thracian Penninsula" refers to the Gallipoli penninsula.

Third Book
3.1 Mauretania Tingitania
3.2 Mauretania Caesariensis
3.3 Africa Minor
3.4 Cyrene
3.5 Egypt and Marmarica
3.6 Interior Libya
3.7 Ethiopia South of Egypt
3.8 Ethiopia South of the Above

Notes: Ptolemy's knowledge of southern Africa is very vague for obvious reasons. The informations on West Africa are probably mainly derived from the journey of Hanno the Navigator. What should be also noted (which I have been trying to visualize on the map) is that it is distorted: the northern border of the South Ethiopia territory, according to Ptolemy, should be a horizontal line whereas what indications we get from the coastal features clearly show it shouldn't be. Likewise, the southern border towards the "Unknown Land" should be on the same latitude as well, but clearly isn't.

Fourth Book
4.1 Pontus and Bithynia
4.2 Asia Proper
4.3 Lycia
4.4 Galatia
4.5 Pamphylia
4.6 Cappadocia
4.7 Lesser Armenia
4.8 Cilicia
4.9 Asian Sarmatia
4.10 Colchis
4.11 (Caucasian) Iberia
4.12 (Caucasian) Albania
4.13 Greater Armenia
4.14 Syria
4.15 Cyprus
4.16 Judaea
4.17 Arabia Petraea
4.18 Mesopotamia
4.19 Arabia Deserta
4.20 Babylonia

Fifth Book
5.1 Assyria
5.2 Media
5.3 Susiana
5.4 Persidis
5.5 Parthia
5.6 Carmania Deserta
5.7 Hyrcania
5.8 Arabia Felix ("Happy Arabia")
5.9 Carmania Altera
5.10 Margiana
5.11 Bactria
5.12 Sogdiana
5.13 Sacarum
5.14 Scythia within the Imaus Mountains
5.15 Scythia beyond the Imaus Mountains
5.16 The Serica Region
5.17 Aria
5.18 Paropamisus (the Hindukush)
5.19 Drangiana
5.20 Arachosia
5.21 Gedrosia

Notes: Ptolemy's borders in this region are too vague, therefore I decided to dump them altogether. What should be noted is that here too the map is distorted. I may compensate for that in a later, more detailed map. The frontier towards the unknown land should be a straight line, but based on the informations Ptolemy gives, it must be clearly distorted towards the south.

Sixth Book

6.1 India on this side of the Ganges
6.2 India on the far side of the Ganges
6.3 Sina (China)
6.4 Taprobane (Sri Lanka)

Notes: Given the sheer distance, Ptolemy's knowledge is extremely vague. I have marked China in the 'Unknown Lands', purposefully so. While Ptolemy is vaguely aware of the existence of China, he did make a considerable mistake, Specifically, he assumed the coast to bend significantly southwards beyond the Gulf of Tonkin. Ptolemy placed the southern peak of the Chinese coast on the same latitude as Singapore, that, projected onto actual maps, would lie at the location of Borneo! Lastly, which I already elaborated in the entry on Sri Lanka, he vastly supersized it compared to it's real life size.

 

[Thande]

Very fine work, EQ. Very impressive.

To illustrate what you mean about Ptolemy having China's coast curving down, here's a (19th century, German) interpretation of his atlas's figures on a map:

 

[Pachac]

Just so you know the Strait of Kerch was known as the Cimmerian Bosporus.