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Practical Use of Maps and Itineraria Within the Roman Context of Long-Distance Travel

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The Itinerarium Burdigalense is a dry enumeration of the route taken and intermediate stations on a pilgrimage to Palestine in 333-334 A.D. The Tabula Peutingeriana is a 12th-century copy of a Roman map. The most recent authoritative view (by Richard Talbert) sees the Tabula Peutingeriana as a propaganda tool with no practical purpose. It was according to him a decorative element in a building. His thesis is worldwide accepted by scholarship. The Tabula Peutingeriana concerns an extraordinary map, it is unique and it is the only one of its kind of the Roman world of the time that has been found and handed down so far. Nevertheless, this map has already been the subject of intense historical debate. These include discussions about its origin, its designer, its copier, its dating, its reliability, its incompleteness, and especially its purpose. Itineraries, or travel descriptions, such as the Itinerarium Burdigalanse were also regularly produced. It seems, therefore, that further research into existing Roman cartography and travel descriptions can add significant value to the state of historical debate, especially in the context of their practical use for travel and travel preparations in Roman times. This both for military, commercial and private interests. The unpractical size, strange image of the world, anachronisms and omissions, are arguments to state that this map had no practical use for travellers. I want to try to proof the opposite by focussing on teh practical aspects of this map. Firstly the focus will have to be on the study of the distances of the map and their practical relevance to travel. Secondly the travel time based on the map indications will be of essence. Thirdly the need for supply during travel, especially for armies and imperial travel (supply of armies indicated on the map) is an important aspect. Finally all other practical aspects of the peutinger map that are of practical importance will need to be studied. By focussing more on the many practical elements of the map, I want to argue against the view of Richard Talbert that the map is a decorative piece of work.
The link needs to be stressed with the cursus publicus. The main roads of the cursus publicus are indicated on the map and tehse roads were also used e.g. by armies and emperors because these roads were safer, faster, maintained in good order, had resting accomodations, were important for supply.
This maps contains elements that are certainly of use for those who had to travel troughout the Roman empire for administartive, imperial, military or diplomatic purposes. Certainly in combination with the use of extant itineraria.
As to the mistakes on the map. We may not roam in anachronism by thinking the a 2000 years old map has the accuracy of a 21st gps driven society. The existance of contradictions and errors do not exclude the practical usefulness of the peutinger map.
This map shows too many practical details to be of a mere decorative nature and political propaganda.

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The Practical Use of Maps and Itineraria Within the Roman Context of Long-Distance Travel
Introduction
The vast expanse of the Roman Empire necessitated long-distance travel. The movement of people and resources was instrumental in maintaining the Roman Empire. According to Drijvers (360), the Roman Empire was a very mobile society, with people travelling for numerous reasons like commerce, religion, military, migration and education using the elaborate system of roads and available modes of transport. Military campaigns were needed to ensure that Rome maintained its status quo while allowing it to gain more territory. Commerce was instrumental in connecting the Roman Empire to the rest of the world. Through commerce, Rome could import what it produced in abundance while importing what other jurisdictions had. Given the expanse of the empire, there was a need for merchants to move from one destination to another. Diplomats too needed to travel to maintain diplomatic ties with the various leaders in the territory. At the same time, individuals would often travel long distances, mainly for religious purposes. For instance, Christian pilgrims moving to Jerusalem to connect with the Holy Land was common. Navigating the vast network required the use of practical tools, among them maps and Itineraria. Among the maps used, the Tabula Peutingeriana stands out, while The Itinerarium Burdigalense and Itinerarium Antonini were well-known itineraries that aided travellers.
For centuries, the Tabula Peutingeriana (also known as the Peutinger Map) has captivated the cartographic and artistic world. It stands out with its vibrant colors and exaggerated landscapes which fuels the interpretations of a purely decorative spectacle that captures the Roman imagination. Indeed, the Tabula Peutingeriana remains outstanding given that it is one of its kind in the Roman world, having been passed down over several generations. Despite its importance in the Roman world as a travel tool for military campaigns, merchants, diplomats and pilgrims, the Tabula Peutingeriana has been met with sharp criticism regarding its practical use, with renowned authors like Richard Talbert claiming that the map served more as a decorative element, which was useful only as a propaganda tool. Given that Talbert is a well-respected researcher of ancient Rome, his position has become dominant in the mainstream scholarly world. More intense debate has come up due to discussions around its source, designer, copier, reliability and completeness. The purpose of the Tabula Peutingeriana has been questioned, with some researchers doubting the use of the Tabula Peutingeriana for any significant travel activity.
Debates regarding the Tabula Peutingeriana’s anachronisms, errors, and contradictions have watered down the practical application of the map for travellers. However, an examination of the practical aspects of the Tabula Peutingeriana shows a different view. This thesis seeks to demonstrate that the Tabula Peutingeriana was not used for decoration in ancient Rome but provided different categories of travelers with the information they needed to navigate the e...

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