Maps - Ancient Maps and Atlases

All civilizations depend on available water, but not all (e.g., Palestine) depend on rivers. Rivers also provided ancient societies with access to trade -- not only of products, but ideas, including language, writing, and technology. River-based irrigation permitted communities to specialize and develop, even in areas lacking adequate rainfall....

The lines of latitude run horizontally parallel to each other. The word latitude comes from a Latin word for "wide" (latus>>latitudo).

Public Domain maps of the ancient world. Four maps (websized and 1 meg versions) showing ancient Greece, Italy, Asia Minor, and central Europe.

An explanation of the geographical term oikumene.