Ptolemy's Map Of Ireland

Ptolemy's map of Ireland is a part of his "first European map" (depicting the British Isles) in the series of maps included in his ''Geography'', which he compiled in the second century AD in Roman Egypt and which is the oldest surviving map of Ireland. Ptolemy's own map does not survive, but is known from manuscript copies made during the Middle Ages and from the text of the ''Geography'', which gives coordinates and place names. Ptolemy almost certainly never visited Ireland, but compiled the map based on military, trader, and traveller reports, along with his own mathematical calculations. Given the creation process, the time period involved, and the fact that the Greeks and Romans had limited contact with Ireland, it is considered remarkably accurate.

Creation of the map

The map of Ireland is included on the "first European map" sections ( or ) of Ptolemy's ''Geography'' (also known as the ' and the '). The "first European map" is described in the second and third chapters of the work's second book. The second chapter () deals with Ireland, the third with Great Britain.

Ptolemy, living thousands of miles east of Ireland in Roman Egypt, produced an interpretation of the world based on the writings available such as texts accessible in the Library of Alexandria. In 2006, R. Darcy and William Flynn described his map of Ireland as "a long exposure photograph in the sense that it most likely represents points recorded not instantaneously but over time, written down and fixed at roughly AD 100".

Ireland in the Roman imperial period

Ireland ( or ) was known to the Romans and may have been partially colonised by them. Tacitus mentioned the island in his writings as "a small country in comparison with Britain, but larger than the islands of the Mediterranean. In soil and climate, and in the character and civilisation of its inhabitants, it is much like Britain". Ancient remains at Stoneyford in County Kilkenny and Loughshinny in County Dublin may indicate a Roman presence at these sites.

Methodology

The work known as the ''Geography'' included guidelines on how to 'flatten' the image – or represent a 3D object on a 2D surface – of the Earth when constructing maps. Ptolemy believed in a spherical Earth within a geocentric model of the universe, and based his calculations of longitudes and latitudes on this foundational principle. Determining the obliquity of the ecliptic, the tilt of the Earth relative to the perceived movement of the Sun in the sky, his work became "the foundation of all astronomical science" in analysing the angle of the Sun during the longest day for locations on different parallels of longitude".

The ' was not well known in the Western Roman Empire and was lost by the collapse of the empire in the late fifth century. However, there are indications it was known in the Eastern Empire. A Greek manuscript copy of the work now in the British Library was produced around 1400, and the map is oriented with south at the top.

Precision

Ptolemy underestimated the length of the equator by 18% and this had an impact on all his maps. One result of this is that his latitudinal estimates are more accurate than his longitudinal ones. The reports he received would have had better directional information (towards the sunrise/sunset, at a left/right angle to the sun at noon) than on distance (five days' journey from Roman Gaul). The west coast is poorly represented compared to the other three, and identification of the names Ptolemy gives is speculative. This is consistent with the Romans having less contact with Irish communities in this region.

Communities identified

The peoples listed by Ptolemy as inhabiting the north coast are the ''Wenniknioi'' in the west and the ''Rhobogdioi'' in the east.

Peoples of the west coast are: the '' Erdinoi'' near Donegal Bay; the '' Magnatai'' or ''Nagnatai'' of County Mayo and Sligo; the ''Auteinoi'' between County Galway and the Shannon, identifiable with the early medieval Uaithni; the '' Ganganoi'', also known in north Wales; and the ''Wellaboroi'' in the far south-west.

Peoples of the south coast are the '' Iwernoi'' in the west, who share their name with the island, ''Iwernia'', and can be identified with the early medieval Érainn; the ''Usdiai''; and the ''Brigantes'' in the east, who share their name with a people of Roman Britain.

The tribes listed on the east coast are '' Koriondoi''; the ''Manapioi'', possibly related to the Menapii of Gaul; the '' Kaukoi'', probably not related to the Germanic Chauci of the Low Countries; the '' Eblanoi''; the ''Woluntioi'', identifiable with the early medieval Ulaid; and the '' Darinoi''.

Place names listed

In Ireland () Ptolemy references fifteen rivers, six promontories and ten cities. He names and gives the proximate locations of 16 tribes.

Rivers and estuaries

* mouth of the river ''Logia'' ()'''' – Belfast Lough ().
* mouth of the river ''Rhawiu'' (, ) – the River Erne.
* mouth of the river ''Dur'' () – Dingle Bay
* mouth of the river ''Iernu'' (, )– possibly the River Erne, although it flows into Donegal Bay, much further north, so possibly the Kenmare.
* mouth of the river ''Widwa'' (, ) – the River Foyle.
* mouth of the river ''Buvinda'' () – the River Boyne.
* mouth of the river ''Oboka'' (, ) – possibly the River Liffey or the River Avoca in County Wicklow.
* mouth of the river ''Modonnu'' (, ) – possibly the Slaney, but more likely the Avoca.
* mouth of the river ''Ausoba'' () – River Corrib and Lough Corrib ().
* mouth of the river ''Argita'' () – the River Bann.
* mouth of the river ''Libniu'' (, ) – possibly Clew Bay.
* mouth of the river ''Senu'' or ''Sinu'' (, ) – probably the Shannon Estuary, although placed too far to the north.
* mouth of the river ''Dabrona'' () possibly the River Lee or the Munster Blackwater.
* the mouth of the river ''Birgu'' (, ) probably the River Barrow.
* mouth of the river ''Winderios'' (, )'''' – possibly Carlingford Lough, Dundrum Bay or Strangford Lough.

Promontories

* Fair Head, County Antrim (, )
* Carnsore Point ()
* the promontory ''Isamnion'' (, ) – on the east coast.

Towns

* ''Nagnata'' or ''Magnata'' ()'''' – a settlement of the Nagnatae or Magnatae people, possibly somewhere in County Sligo.
* ''Eblana'' () – later site of Dublin.
*''Manapia'' ()'''' – a settlement of the Manapii.

Towns of the interior

* Raeba () – possibly the royal site of Cruchain
* ''Rhegia'' () – probably the royal seat () of a local prince.
* ''Laberos'' (, )
* ''Makolikon'' (, )
* "a second ''Rhegia''" () – probably another seat of a local prince.
* ''Dounon'' (, )
* ''Ivernis'' (, ) – Cashel, County Tipperary.

Islands

Besides the Irish mainland, Ptolemy names seven islands and mentions an archipelago to the north (the Inner Hebrides) which he says consists of five others. Among the islands he names to the east are the Isle of Man and Anglesey. Three others (''Rhikina'', ''Edros'' and ''Limnos'') may be islands nearby Ireland or may be among the Channel Islands, since Pliny the Elder's ''Natural History'' may refer to Alderney, Guernsey, and Jersey with similar names (, , and ).

North of Ireland

* The five ''Ebudes'' (, ), of which Ptolemy says two are themselves called ''Ebuda'' () – probably the Inner Hebrides.
* ''Rikina'' or ''Engarikenna'' (, ) – possibly Rathlin Island.
* ''Maleos'' or ''Malaïos'' (, )
* ''Epidion'' (, )

East of Ireland

* ''Monaoeda'' or ''Monarina'' () – Isle of Man.
* the island ''Mona'' () – Anglesey.
* the desert island ''Edros'' or ''Adros'' (, ) – possibly Howth Head.
* the desert island ''Limnos'' (, ) – possibly Lambay Island.

Legacy

A Latin woodcut of the "first European map" published by in Ulm in 1486 and thought to be one of the earliest surviving printed reproductions of the map, was bought by the National Library of Wales Aberystwyth in 2008.

Ptolemy's map of the British Isles remained the prevailing cartographic depiction of Ireland until the early modern period. A portolan chart prepared in Venice by Grazioso Benincasa in 1468 is "the first depiction of Ireland as an island in its own right, rather than as part of the British Isles".

References

External links

* {{Commons-inline

2nd-century works
2nd century in Egypt
2nd century in Ireland
Maps of Ireland
Ptolemy
Library of Alexandria