Espagne Ancienne On Liberie Par C.V.Monin, 1837 (Map Of Ancient Spain On iberia)

Description

This 1837 map is a highly detailed work that comprehensively represents the Iberian Peninsula (i.e., the present-day territories of Spain and Portugal) under the rule of the Roman Empire in Antiquity. The map not only includes ancient cities, rivers, mountain ranges, and tribal names, but also systematically depicts the administrative divisions of the Roman era. Especially notable is the use of different colors to delineate boundaries on the map, allowing for a clear distinction of period-specific administrative changes; these color-coded classifications are explained in the striking legend located in the lower left corner of the map. The legend illustrates four major historical-administrative division systems. First is the earliest division from Rome’s conquest period, which split Spain into "Espagne Citerieure" (Nearer Spain) and "Espagne Ulterieure" (Further Spain). Secondly, it displays the classical tripartite provincial system implemented by Emperor Augustus in 27 BCE: “Betique” (modern-day Andalusia), “Lusitanie” (present-day Portugal), and “Tarraconaise” (a region encompassing the eastern and northeastern parts of Iberia). In the third section, a deviation from this structure is observed, presenting a more fragmented administrative layout through the addition of a new province called Carthaginoise, specific to the Late Roman period. The fourth and final section identifies areas not directly governed by Rome—autonomous city-states (colonia, civitas libera) as well as free tribal territories whose borders were not precisely defined. At the very bottom of the legend, the use of meridian references—such as the Ferro Island meridian—also demonstrates the cartographic precision of the map. Major urban centers like Emerita Augusta (Mérida), Corduba (Córdoba), Tarraco (Tarragona), and Gades (Cádiz) are presented alongside ethnic groups such as the Cantabri, Lusitani, and Celtiberi, visually expressing the multilayered nature of Roman governance. Such a map is not merely a geographical source; it is also a document that allows for the reading of Rome’s political, military, and cultural dominion over the Iberian Peninsula through the lens of geography.