The fortune of the cartographer ptolemy preserved in the libraries of Rome

Abstract

The geographical work by Ptolemy (Γεωγραφική Ὑφήγησις) had a considerable fortune until 1730, even when modern atlases such as Ortelius and Mercator were published. Our contribution intends to examine the spread and the interest that the Atlases of Ptolemy had between Italians scholars and the reading public. Therefore, continuing a study already faced by Italian geographers, we propose to go further, to checking not only the presence of the various editions of Ptolemy, the state of preservation, the presence or absence of old and new tables, and especially—when we could—checking the number of users who have taken in reading these atlases. We found it useful to point out the places of issue of Ptolemaic Atlases, to highlight the area of distribution of this type of cartographic product in the libraries of Rome and consequently in the cities of publication of editions of atlases. The examined Libraries are: Biblioteca Accademia Lincei e Corsiniana (BALC), Biblioteca Alessandrina (BAL), Biblioteca Angelica (BA), Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (BAV), Biblioteca Casanatense (BC), Biblioteca Fondazione Marco Besso (BFMB), Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Roma (BNCR), Biblioteca Osservatorio Astronomico Romano (BOAR), Biblioteca Società Geografica Italiana (BSGI), Biblioteca Vallicelliana (BV). Our intention is also to edit a tentative list of comments on geographical work by Ptolemy. In conclusion we wish to consider the reasons for the geographical diffusion of the work of Ptolemy, even after the knowledge of the world had widened after the discovery of the Americas.