Roman Spain and Portugal with the Balearic Islands, d'Anville, 1818

An original copper engraved map, uncolored, of the Iberian peninsula in Roman times, with the Pyrenees and the Aquitani to the north, the coast of Gaul to Massilia, the Balearic Islands and the tip of Africa at Tingis. Peoples are lettered across the land, among them the Vascones, Ilergetes, Carpetani, Oretani, Contestani, Turdetani, Vettones and Lusitani. Numantia, Pompelo, Ilerda, Tarraco, Barcino, Emporiae, Dertosa, Saguntus, Valentia, Carthago Nova, Toletum, Castulo, Corduba, Hispalis, Gades, Emerita Aug., Olisippo and Bracara Augusta are placed, and modern Madrid is marked. The Durius, Tagus and Baetis are traced, the Fretum Gaditanum names the strait, and the islands are lettered Baleares Ins., with Major, Minor and the Pityusae. A meridian line lettered Méridien de Paris runs through the sea off Barcino.

The cartouche at lower right reads L'Espagne / pour l'Histoire Romaine / de Rollin, / par d'Anville Géographe du Roi. The plate number Pl. 22 is engraved above the upper right corner of the neatline. A line along the top reads Longitude comptée du Méridien de Paris et selon la Graduation de la Terre supposée Sphérique. Two scale bars below the cartouche read Milles Romains, évalués 755 Toises et demie and Lieues Françaises de 3000 Pas Géom. ou 2500 Toi.

The plate belongs to the Atlas de Géographie Ancienne, published in Paris in 1818 by Ledoux et Tenré and printed by Didot le jeune to accompany the works of Charles Rollin (1661 to 1741), author of the Histoire ancienne and the Histoire romaine. Its maps were engraved after the originals of Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697 to 1782). In the signed foreword Ambroise Tardieu, géographe-graveur, states that the maps were copied with religious fidelity and that, charged with revising the proofs, he had only to correct negligences and faults of execution.

This is an original antique map, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.