Copy of an ancient Roman map showing ancient Roman Britain. It is interesting to note how Roman cartographers understood the topology.
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This sketch map of ancient Roman Britain shows how Julius Caesar is likely to have seen Gaul and Britain. “Cantium” written in the right hand corner of Britain is Kent. The Pyrenees are shown to the left, protecting “Hispania”. Working left to right we have: Aquitania, the Garonne, “Liger” – the Loire, Gallia Celtica, the “Sequana” river – the Seine, Belgium, the “rhenus” river and Germany. The Alps are at the bottom right. Marseilles is the city at centre bottom.
The opening paragraph from Caesar’s “De Bello Gallico” seems appropriate:
“Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam, qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur.”
An 18th Century translation goes as follows:
“Gaul is divided into three parts, each inhabited by people of different language, laws, and customs, the Belgae, Acquitains, and Celtae, as they call themselves, but we the Gauls; the last of these are divided from the Acquitains by the river Garonne, and by the Maern and Seine from the Belgae, the most warlike people of the three, because they are the greatest strangers to the politeness of the province, hold no commerce with merchants, who import such wares as serve to nourish luxury, and are situated next the Germans beyond the Rhine, with whom they wage perpetual war;”
Read more about it in our page about Ancient Roman Maps | Roman Empire Maps | Maps of Ancient Rome | Ancient Roman Maps | Hadrian Wall Map | Map of Ancient Pompeii | Map of Ancient Roman Roads | A Map of Julius Caesar and his battles | Map of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in 117 AD | map roman republic | Roman Colosseum Map |Roman Empire Maps |