Description
Book SynopsisA modern edition and an English translation of one of the earliest and most important works in the history of geography, the third-century "Geographika of Eratosthenes". It describes the geography of the entire inhabited world as it was then known, Eratosthenes of Kyrene (ca 285-205 BC) invented the discipline of geography as we understand it.
Trade Review"[T]his is the sort of tribute that has been long overdue to one of the ancient Greek world's most original, penetrating and ecumenically humane geniuses."--Paul Cartledge, Anglo-Hellenic Review "Roller has succeeded admirably in producing a work that will make Eratosthenes accessible to a wide variety of readers. He has made vast improvements over the previous editions of the fragments in facilitating the reading of both text and commentary... This book will be equally interesting to specialist researchers."--Courtney Roby, Hague Journal of Diplomacy "One does not have to be a trained classicist to appreciate Roller's scholarship. Indeed, the subjects he tackles are increasingly ones that resonate with the educated public as much as with specialists. Roller's new book follows this trend and will surely win new fans for its subject."--Sarah Pothecary, Strabo.ca "In addition to a careful and justified assignation of fragments to the three books of Eratosthenes' Geographika, Roller in his commentary is very alert to the extent to which Strabo misrepresents or misunderstands the purpose of Eratosthenes... The commentary is accessible and well conceived."--Hugh Lindsay, European Legacy
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Introduction ix Abbreviations xiii ERATOSTHENES AND THE HISTORY OF GEOGRAPHY The Background 1 The Life of Eratosthenes 7 The Geographika of Eratosthenes 15 The Reception and Later History of the Geographika 30 ERATOSTHENES, GEOGRAPHIKA Book 1 41 Book 2 58 Book 3 69 SUMMARIES AND COMMENTARIES Commentary to Book 1 111 Commentary to Book 2 141 Commentary to Book 3 161 Gazetteer 223 Maps 249 APPENDICES Appendix 1: On the Measurement of the Earth 263 Appendix 2: Testimonia for the Life of Eratosthenes 268 Appendix 3: Lengths of Measurement 271 Bibliography 275 Index of Passages Cited 281 General Index 289
