THE KASSITEROS PROJECT

Primary source · mid-2nd century AD

Ptolemy — Geographike Hyphegesis

Ptolemy supplies the most explicit surviving coordinate framework for Britain and its neighbouring islands. In Kassiteros this is not merely background mapping: it is a control for testing whether proposed identifications such as Ictis = Vectis or Cassiterides = Scilly are compatible with the ancient geographical tradition.

A fifteenth-century Ptolemaic world map with Europe, Africa and Asia.
Ptolemaic world map, 1420, British Library Burney MS 111, ff. 105v–106r. British Library manuscript image via Wikimedia Commons · source · Public domain / PDM 1.0

Why this source matters

Ptolemy supplies the most explicit surviving coordinate framework for Britain and its neighbouring islands. In Kassiteros this is not merely background mapping: it is a control for testing whether proposed identifications such as Ictis = Vectis or Cassiterides = Scilly are compatible with the ancient geographical tradition.

Primary-source dossier

The excerpts below are reproduced from the Ictis Anthology — a working paper produced during research for the project. Some of the results were spun off into New Perspectives on the Ictis of Pytheas of Massalia.

Book 2 Chapter 2

Location of the British island of Albion

(European Map I)

1. The northern coast of the British Island of Albion lies next to the Hyperborean Sea, being called by the name Duecaledonium, it has the outline thus;
Novantarum peninsula and promontory of the same. 21° 0Ö 61° 40Ö
Rerigonius Bay 20° 30Ö 60° 50Ö
Vindogora Bay 21° 20Ö 60° 30Ö
Clota Estuary 22° 15Ö 59° 40Ö
Lemannonius Bay 24° 0Ö 60° 20Ö
Epidium Promontory 23° 0Ö 60° 40Ö
Longus River mouth 24° 0Ö 60° 40Ö
Itis River mouth 27° 0Ö 60° 40Ö
Volsa Bay 29° 0Ö 60° 30Ö
Navarus River mouth 30° 0Ö 60° 30Ö
Tarvendum, or Orca promontory 31° 20Ö 60° 15Ö

2. The outline of the west side that lies close to the Hibernian Sea and the Vergionius which holds the Novantian peninsula.
Novantian promontory 21° 0Ö 61° 40Ö
Abravannus River mouth 19° 20Ö 61° 0Ö
Iena Estuary 19° 0Ö 60° 30Ö
Devas River mouth 18° 0Ö 60° 0Ö
Novius River mouth 18° 20Ö 59° 30Ö
Ituna Estuary 18° 30Ö 59° 45Ö
Moricambe Estuary 17° 30Ö 59° 20Ö
Setantiorum Town and Harbour 17° 20Ö 57° 45Ö
Belisama Estuary 17° 30Ö 57° 20Ö
Seteia Town and Estuary 17° 0Ö 57° 0Ö
Tosobius River mouth 15° 40Ö 56° 20Ö

3. . Ganganos promontory 15° 0Ö 56° 0Ö
Stuccia River mouth 15° 20Ö 55° 30Ö
Tusrobia River mouth 15° 0Ö 55° 0Ö
Octapitarum promontory 14° 20Ö 54° 30Ö
Tubius River mouth 15° 30Ö 54° 30Ö
Rastabius River mouth 16° 30Ö 54° 30Ö
Sabrina Estuary 17° 20Ö 54° 30Ö
Uxella Estuary1 16° 0Ö 53° 30Ö
Hercules promontory2 14° 0Ö 53° 0Ö
Antivestaorum or Bolorium promontory3 11° 0Ö 52° 30Ö
Damonionium or Ocrium promontory4 12° 0Ö 51° 30Ö

4 The outline of the southern coast close to the Britannic Sea after the Ocrium promontory.
Cenio River mouth5 14° 0Ö 51° 45Ö
Tamarum River mouth6 15° 40Ö 52° 10Ö
Isca River mouth7 17° 0Ö 52° 20Ö
Alaunon River mouth 17° 40Ö 52° 40Ö
Great Harbour8 19° 0Ö 53° 0Ö
Trisantonias River mouth 20° 20Ö 53° 0Ö
New Harbour9 21° 0Ö 53° 30Ö
Cantian promontory 22° 0Ö 54° 0Ö

5. Outline of the coast that faces both the rising sun and the southern regions, close besides the Germanicus Sea; after the Tarvendum promontory, being better known as Orcades.
Virvedrum promontory 31° 0Ö 60° 0Ö
Verubium promontory 31° 30Ö 59° 40Ö
Ila River mouth 31° 0Ö 59° 40Ö
High Crag 29° 0Ö 59° 40Ö
Loxa River mouth 28° 30Ö 59° 40Ö
Vara Estuary 27° 30Ö 59° 20Ö
Tuasis Estuary 27° 0Ö 59° 0Ö
Celnius River mouth 27° 0Ö 58° 45Ö
Tascalon promontory 27° 30Ö 58° 30Ö
Deva River mouth 26° 0Ö 58° 30Ö
Taus Estuary 25° 0Ö 58° 20Ö
Tina River mouth 24° 0Ö 58° 30Ö
Boderis Estuary 22° 30Ö 58° 45Ö

6. . Alaunus River mouth 21° 40Ö 58° 30Ö
Vedra River mouth 20° 10Ö 58° 30Ö
Dunum Bay 20° 15Ö 57° 30Ö
Gabrantuicorum Bay being known as Good Harbour. 21° 0Ö 57° 0Ö
Ocalus promontory 21° 15Ö 56° 40Ö
Abi River mouth 21° 0Ö 56° 30Ö
Metaria Estuary 20° 30Ö 25° 40Ö
Gariennus River mouth 21° 0Ö 25° 20Ö
Prominent feature 21° 15Ö 25° 5Ö
Eidomania River mouth 20° 10Ö 25° 0Ö
Tamesa Estuary 20° 30Ö 54° 30Ö
After this the Cantium promontory 22° 0Ö 54° 0Ö

7. The Novantes inhabit the north coast below the peninsula of the same name, in relation to which are the following towns;
Locopibia 19° 0Ö 60° 20Ö
Rerigonium 20° 10Ö 60° 40Ö

8. Below these the Selgoves, amongst whom the towns;
Carbantorigum 19° 0Ö 59° 50Ö
Uxellum 18° 30Ö 59° 20Ö
Corda 20° 0Ö 59° 40Ö
Trimontium 19° 0Ö 59° 0Ö

9. From these, a little to the north and to the east, the Damnoni in the following towns;
Colanica 20° 30Ö 59° 10Ö
Vindogara 21° 40Ö 60° 0Ö
Coria 21° 30Ö 59° 20Ö
Alauna 22° 45Ö 59° 20Ö
Lindum 20° 0Ö 59° 30Ö
Victoria 23° 30Ö 59° 0Ö

10. The Gadini are more to the north but the Otadini are more to the south, in these towns;
Coria 20° 10Ö 59° 0Ö
Bremenium 21° 0Ö 58° 45Ö

11. Next to the Damnoni but towards the east and more northerly, by the promontory of Epidium, are the Epidi and next to them towards the east, the Ceronei; then further east the Creones, then the Cornonai and Carini and further east still to its extreme, the Cornavi.

12. From the Bay of Lemmanonia until the Vara estuary dwell the Caledonians, above whom is the Caledonian forest and further east the Decantes, next the Lugi joined to the territory of the Cornavi and above the Lugi are the Smertae.

13. Above the Caledonians are the Vecomagi amongst whom are the following towns;
Bannatia 24° 0Ö 59° 30Ö
Tamia 25° 0Ö 59° 20Ö
Camp of the Feathered Emblen (Eagle) 27° 15Ö 59° 20Ö
Tuesia 26° 30Ö 59° 10Ö

14. Below these, but more to the west, the Venicones whose city is;
Orrea 24° 0Ö 58° 45Ö

15 More towards the east are the Taecali and their town;
Devana 26° 15Ö 58° 15Ö

16. Again, below the Segones and the Otedini is the territory of the Brigantes extending to each sea; and their towns are;
Epiacum 18° 30Ö 58° 30Ö
Vinovium 17° 30Ö 58° 0Ö
Cataractonium 20° 0Ö 58° 0Ö
Calatum 19° 0Ö 57° 45Ö
Isurium 20° 0Ö 57° 40Ö
Rigudunum 18° 0Ö 57° 30Ö
Olicana 19° 0Ö 57° 30Ö
Eboracum 20° 0Ö 57° 15Ö

17. Legion Six Victorious
Camulodunum 18° 45Ö 57° 0Ö

The territory near to Good Harbour is related to the Parisi whose town is;
Petuaria 20° 40Ö 56° 40Ö

18. Below these dwell the Brigantes while further to the west is the teritory of Ordovices, in which are the towns;
Mediolanum 16° 45Ö 56° 20Ö
Brannogenium 16° 0Ö 56° 15Ö

19. More towards the east are the Cornavi whose towns;
Deva and the Legion XX Victorious 18° 30Ö 55° 0Ö
Viroconium 16° 45Ö 55° 45Ö

20. Next the Coritani and their towns;
Lindum 18° 40Ö 55° 45Ö
Ratae 18° 0Ö 55° 30Ö

21. Then the Catachullauni and the Capelauni with their towns;
Salinae 16° 0Ö 55° 40Ö
Urolanium 19° 20Ö 55° 30Ö

After this the Simeni, related to the town;
Venta 20° 30Ö 55° 20Ö

22. And, further to the east, related to the Tamesa estuary are the Trinovantes, in this city;
Camulodunum 21° 0Ö 55° 0Ö

23. Again, below these people and joining on to them more to the west are the Demiae and the following towns;
Luentinum 15° 30Ö 55° 10Ö
Maridunum 15° 30Ö 55° 0Ö

24. More to the east of these, the Silures and their town;
Bullaeum 16° 20Ö 55° 0Ö

25. After these are the Dobuni and their town;
Corinium 18° 0Ö 54° 10Ö

26. Then the Atrebates and their town;
Calcena or Caleva 19° 0Ö 54° 15Ö

27. Next, but further to the east, the Cantii and their towns;
Londinium 20° 0Ö 54° 0Ö
Daruernum 21° 0Ö 53° 40Ö
Rutupiae 21 45Ö 54° 0Ö

28. Again, lying under the Atrebates and the Cantii, the Regni and their town;
Noeomagus10 19° 45Ö 53° 25Ö

And below the Dobuni, the Belgae and towns;
Ischalis 16° 40Ö 53° 30Ö
Hot springs 17° 20Ö 53° 40Ö
Venta 18° 40Ö 53° 30Ö

29. To the west and south of these are the Durotriges and their town;
Dunium 18° 0Ö 52° 35Ö

30. Next to these but more to the west are the Dumnoni11 and their towns;
Voliba12 14° 45Ö 52° 20Ö
Uxella13 15° 0Ö 52° 45Ö
Tamara14 15° 0Ö 52° 15Ö
Isca15 17° 30Ö 52° 45Ö
Legion II Augusta 17° 30Ö 52° 35Ö

31. The islands which are close to Albion, in relation to the Orcades promontory;
Scetis Island 32° 40Ö 60° 45Ö
Dumna Island 30° 0Ö 61° 0Ö

Above these are the Orcades, about thirty by number, the central point holds the postition:
Orcades 30° 0Ö 61° 40Ö

32. Still further above these is Thule, the most extreme points of which hold the following positions;
The most westerly 29° 0Ö 63° 0Ö
The most easterly 31° 40Ö 63° 0Ö
The most northerly 30° 20Ö 63° 15Ö
The most southerly 30° 20Ö 62° 40Ö
The central point 30° 20Ö 63° 0Ö

33. In relation to the Trinovantes, these islands
Toliapis 23° 0Ö 54° 20Ö
Counus Island 24° 0Ö 54° 30Ö

Below the Great Harbour, Vectis Island the central point of holds the position;
Vectis Island16 19° 20Ö 52° 20Ö1718

Greek19

Ιουερνίας νήσου Πρεττανικής θέσις .

[ Ευρώπης πίναξ α ’.]L

Book 2 Chapter 6

In this passage, Ptolemy places the Cassiterides exactly; just off the coast of Northern Portugal (even though no islands there exist).

Text from
ToposText, Ptolemy — Geographike Hyphegesis

§ 2.6.73 Islands alongside Tarraconensis with three headlands, in the Cantabrian Ocean, are called the Trileuci, hold the location thus 9°00’ . 46°45’

In the western ocean the Cassiterides, ten in number, hold the position 4°00’ . 45°30’

  1. Ουξέλλα είσχυσις (p86) Müller, K (1883) “Claudii Ptolemæi Geographia” Parisiis

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  2. Ηρακλέους άκρον

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  3. Αντιουέσταιον άκρον τό και Βολέριον

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  4. Δαμνόνιoν τoκαι Όκριον άκρον

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  5. Κενίωνος ποταμού εκβολαι

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  6. Ταμάρου ποταμού εκβολαι

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  7. Ισκαποταμού εκβολαι

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  8. Μέγας λιμήν Magnus portus

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  9. Καινός λιμήν Novus portus

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  10. Νοιόμαγος Neomagus

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  11. Δουμνόνιοι Dumnonii

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  12. Ojoiba Voliba

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  13. Ουξελλα Uxella

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  14. Ταμάρη Tamara

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  15. Ίσκα λεγίων δευτέρα Σεβαστή Isca, ubi Legio II Augusta

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  16. Υπό δε τον Μέγαν λιμένα νήσος Ουηκτίς ής το μέσον επέχει μοίρας Infra Magnum autem portum insula Vectis, cuius medium

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  17. http://www.reshistoriaeantiqua.co.uk/Ptol4.html

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  18. Bill Thayer, LacusCurtius: Ptolemy — Geographike Hyphegesis

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  19. (p74) Müller, K (1883) “Claudii Ptolemæi Geographia” Paris

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Bibliography and editions

Critical editions and further reading

Supplemental digital resources

  • Project context. The Kassiteros Project, Ptolemy’s Britain. Open resource

Rights boundary. Ancient texts and public-domain images are not relicensed by Kassiteros. Modern editions and translations retain their own rights. Only Kassiteros-authored commentary and original project metadata are intended to fall under the project’s CC BY 4.0 policy.