Latium, Seu Territorium Romae.

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Original antique copper engraving, from Ptolemy's 'Geographia', published in Padua 1621, 1621. Depicting Rome & Latium, this map is a fine example of 1620s European cartography. Image: 310 by 210mm (12 by 8 inches). An attractive and historically significant 17th-century map for the discerning collector. Claudius Ptolemy (c. 100–170 AD) was a Greek-Roman mathematician, astronomer, and geographer whose work 'Geographia' (c. 150 AD) laid the theoretical foundations for scientific cartography. His coordinate system—using latitude and longitude—remained the basis for mapmaking for over a millennium. The 'Geographia' was rediscovered in Europe in the 14th century and reprinted in numerous editions from the 15th century onward, each with newly engraved maps interpreting Ptolemy's original text. Maps from Ptolemy editions are prized by collectors for their extraordinary historical significance: they represent the ancient world's understanding of geography, rendered in Renaissance engraving. Ptolemy maps appear in the collections of the British Museum, the Vatican Library, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. This copper engraving map of Rome & Latium, published 1621, exemplifies the cartographic tradition of 1620s Europe. The map is engraved with careful attention to topographic detail, depicting towns, rivers, mountain ranges, and political boundaries with the precision expected of the finest cartographic productions of the period. The hand coloring highlights the geographic features and political divisions of Rome & Latium, making this an attractive piece for both the collector and the scholar. A fine example from Geographia, sought after by collectors of antique maps of Italy, antique maps of Rome, and antique copper engravings for sale. In good condition consistent with age. Light age-toning to the sheet, as expected for a 17th-century engraving. Centerfold as published.

Ptolemaeus, Claudius – Rome & Latium · Copper Engraving · Geographia · 1621