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02. 09. 2013. 201.3 World map from an 11th century, probably German, manuscript of Macrobius, Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, Book II, Ch. Zonal map, o

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World map from an 11th century, probably German, manuscript of Macrobius,

Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, Book II, Ch.

Zonal map, oriented to the North with 'septentrio' above, this diagram map shows the

two frigid zones ('inhabitabilis') and the two temperate zones, while a colored band

indicates the middle torrid zone. The two temperate zones are labeled 'temperata

nostra' [our temperate zone] and 'temperata antetorum' [the opposite temperate zone],

though antetorum appears to be a contrived word. The northern temperate zonecontains several geographical features, including the Orkney Islands, the Caspian Sea,Italy, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. North is at the top. The map shows the Red

and Indian seas emanating from the equatorial ocean and the Caspian Sea from theencircling ocean in the northeast. An umbrella-shaped body of water without

toponym (presumably the Tanais joining the Palus Maeotis) is connected to the(unmarked) Mediterranean. The Orcades appear in the far west and Italia is located

between the Mediterranean and what may be a representation of the Adriatic. Zonal

divisions are marked and (except for the central zone) labeled temperate (temperata)

or uninhabitable (inhabitabilis). The temperate southern zone is marked Temperata


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antetorum: the word antetorum is most likely the result of a misreading of antecorum

(i.e. of the antoikoi, inhabitants beneath the oikoumene).British Library, Harley MS 2772, fol. 70v. Appendix 1, no. 22.

(Reproduced with permission from The British Library.)

World image illustrating a 9th or 10th century French manuscript of Macrobius,

Commentary on the Dream of Scipio.This visually simple map is essentially a zonal diagram with two topographical

features (Italia and the Orcades) and the Red, Indian, and Caspian Seas sketched in.The unusual position of the Red Sea extending inwards from the far west of the outer

ocean, and the thin strip of the zona perusta (usually a prominent feature), supports theimpression that this image may be a rather cursory attempt to elaborate a zonal

diagram.

Brussels, Bibliotheque royale, MS 10146, fol. 109v. Appendix 1, no. 2.(Reproduced with permission of the Bibliotheque royale de Belgique.)


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Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Clm 18208, fol. 32v.

An example of the gathering together of the images in 12th and 13th century

manuscripts of Macrobius Commentary into an appendix. On the page reproducedhere seven diagrams have been drawn following the explicit of the Commentary.

Three are canonical: the celestial and terrestrial zones diagram in the top left corner;

the terrestrial zonal diagram beneath it, with zones markedfrigida, temperata and

torrida; and in the lower right corner the world map. The four non-canonical images(standard glosses to the text) consist of three diagrams showing the relation of sun

and earth to moon at eclipse (top right), and a lambda diagram (bottom left,

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