THE KASSITEROS PROJECT

Primary source · 8th century AD

Ravenna Cosmography

The Ravenna Cosmography offers the anthology’s fullest post-Roman inventory of British place names without Ptolemy’s coordinate frame. Its South-West sequence and continuity of names such as Vectis are important for testing the persistence and transformation of ancient geography.

Manuscript opening of the Ravenna Cosmography British section.
BnF Latin 4794, ff. 29v–30r: the British section of the Ravenna Cosmography. Bibliothèque nationale de France / Wikimedia Commons · source · Public domain / see file page

Why this source matters

The Ravenna Cosmography offers the anthology’s fullest post-Roman inventory of British place names without Ptolemy’s coordinate frame. Its South-West sequence and continuity of names such as Vectis are important for testing the persistence and transformation of ancient geography.

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.

Text from: https://www.academia.edu/4175080

Book 5 Chapter 30-31

Latin

Iterum est insula quę dicitur Euania Iterum sunt in ipso oceano quę dicuntur Vectis Malaca Insenos Taniatide.

In oceano uero occidentali est insula quę dicitur Britania ubi olim gens saxonum ueniens ab antiqua saxonia cum principe suo nomine anschis modo habitare uidetur. quamuis insulā ut diximus quidam gręcorum phylosophi quasi micosmin1 appellauerunt. nam nos tam magnā insulā neque in suprascripto mari magno neque in pręfato oceano dilatissimo neque in quo prędiximus sinu oceani legendam nullo modo repperimus. in qua britania plurimas fuisse ciuitates et castra legimus ex quibus aliquantas designare uolumus id est:

Giano Eltabo Elconio Nemetotatio Tamaris Puro coronauis Pilais Vernilis Ardua rauenatone Deuionisso Statio deuen tia steno Duriarno Vxelis Verteuia Melamoni Scadumnamo Termonin Mesteuia Milidunum Apaunaris Masona Alouergium

Iterum iuxta suprascriptam ciuitatem Scadonamorum2 est ciuitas quę dicitur

Moriduno Alauna Silua Omire tederti s Lindinis Canza Dolocindo Clauinio Morionio Boluelaunio Alauna Colonias Aramis Anicetis Melezo Ibernio Bindogladia Nouiomago Onna Venta uelgarom Armis Ardaoneon Nauimago Regentium Leucomago Cunetzone Punctuobice Ventaslurū Iupania Metambala Albinumno Isca augusta Bannio Bremia Alabum Cicutio Magnis Brano Genium Epocessa Ypocessa Macatonion Glebon Colonia Argistillum Vertis Salinis Cironium Dobuno Caleba Arbatiü Anderelionuba Mutuantonis Lemanis Dubris Duroauerno Cantiaco Rutupis Durobrabis Landini Tamese Brinauis Alauna Vtriconion Cornouiorum Lauobrinta Mediomano Seguntio Canubio Mediolano Sandonio Deua uictris Veratino Lutudaron Derbentione Salinis Condate Ratecorion Eltauori Lectoceto Iaciodulma Virolanium Londinium augusti Cesaromago Manulodulo colonia Durcinate Durouiguto Durobrisin Ventacenomū Lindum colonia Bannouallū Nauione Aquis arnemeza Zerdotalia Mantio Alicuna Camulodono Caluuio Galluuio Medibogdo Cantauenti Iuliocenon Gabrocentio Alauna Bribra Maio Olerica Deruentione Rauonia Bresnetenaci Veterano Pampocalia Lagentiū Valteris Bereda Lagubalium Magnis Gabaglanda Vindolande Lincouigla Vinouia Lauaris Cactabactonion Eburacū Decuaria Deuouicia Dixiolugunduno Coganges Corie Lopocarium . Iterum sunt ciuitates in ipsa britania que recto tramite de una parte in alia id est de oceano in oceano & sistunt iaci diuidūt in tertia porcione ipsam britaniam. Id ∻

Serduno Condecor Vindouala Onno Celumno Brocoliti Velurticon Esica Banna Vxelludamo Aualaua Maia Fanococidi Brocara Croucingo Stodoion Smetriadū Clindum Carbantiū Tadoriton Maporiton Alithacenon Loxa Locatreue Cambroianna Smetri Vxela Lucotion Corda Camulossesa Presidiū Brigomono Abisson Ebio Coritiotar Celouion Itucodon Maromago Duabsissis Venutio Trimuntiū Eburocaslum Bremenium Coccuueda Alauna Oleaclauis Euidensca Rumabo

Iterum sunt ciuitates in ipsa britania recto tramite una alteri conexę ubi et ipsa britania plus angustissima de occeano in occeano ∻e dinoscitur. id est:

Velunia Volitanio Pexa Begesse Colanica Medionemeton Subdobiadon Litana Cibra Credigone Ite  ∻ ciuitas quę dicitur:

Lano Maulion Demerosesa Cindocellum Cerma Veromo Matouion Vgrulentum Rauatoniū Iberran Pinnatis Tuessis Lodone Litinomago Deuoni Memanturum Decha Bograndiū Vgueste Leuiodanum Poreo classis Leuioxaua Cermium Victorie Marcotaxon Tagea Voran

Sunt au t ͛ in i ꝓa britania diu͛sa loca, ex quibus aliꝗnta nominare uolumus. id est:

Maponi Mixa Panouius Minox Taba Manaui Segloes Da nnoni

Currunt aut ͛ ꝑ iꝓam britaniam plurima flumina, ex quibus aliꝗnta nominare uolumus. id est:

Traxula Axium Mauia Sarna Tamaris Naurū Abona Isca Tamion Auentio Leuca Iuctius Leugosena Coantia Doruantium Anaua Bdora Nouitia Adron Certisnassa Intraum Antrum Tinea Liar Lenda Viuidin Durolaui Alauna Coguueusuron Durbis Lemana Nouia Raxtomessasenua Cunia Velox

Finit² autem iꝑa britania.

A facie orientis habet insulam thile ultra insulas dorcadas; a facie occidentis ex parte ꝓuincie galliā et promunturium pyrenei; a facie septemtrionalis insulā scotiā; a facie meridiana germaniā antiquā . V ¶ Iterum in eodem oceano occidentali post iꝓam magnam britaniam simulque et amplius longius ut diximus quam omnes insulę altra magna finita ꝑte septemtrionali magis ex iꝓa occidentali est insula maxima quę dicitur ibernia; quę ut dictum est et scotia appellatur. cuius post terga ut iam ꝑmisimus nullo modo apud homines terra inuenitur.

Per quam scotiam transeunt plurima flumina. Int ͛ cet ͛a que dicuntur. Id ∻:

et Sodisinā Cled Terdec

Iterum in ipso oceano occidentali ponuntur diuersę insulę. Ex quibus aliꝗntas nominare uolumª. Id ∻: Corsula Mona Regaina Minerue Cunis Manna 150 Botis Vinion Saponis Susura Birila Elauiana Sobrica Scetis Linnonsa

Item ad aliam partem dicitur insula Magantia Anas Cana Atina Elete Daroeda Esse Grandena Maiona Longis Eirimon Exosades ubi et gemmę nascuntur

Legimus u͛ o in ipso oceano iā expleta parte occidentali tanquam ad partem regredientes meridianā quę sunt numero insule triginta tres quę et dorcades appellantur. quę quamuis non existant omnes exculte attamen nomina illarum uolueramus ch o no  iuuāte designare. sed quia peccatis emergentiꝫ suete a diuersis gentibus iꝓa  natur patria et ut barbarus mos est uariis uocationiꝫ easdem insulas appellant.

sed est insula post aquitaniam que dicitur Obceo. Reliquimus nomina designandum Ollarione. Ratis. Cordanoetoia.3

Southwest Section (Book 5 Chapter 31)

“in qua britania plurimas fuisse ciuitates et castra legimus ex quibus aliquantas designare uolumus id est:

Giano, Eltabo, Elconio, Nemetotatio, Tamaris, Puro coronauis, Pilais, Vernilis, Ardua, rauenatone, Deuionisso Statio, deuentia steno, Duriarno, Vxelis, Verteuia, Melamoni, Scadumnamorum, Termonin, Mesteuia, Milidunum, Apaunaris, Masona, Alouergium”4

  1. Apparently for the Greek εμικοσμιν (Fitzpatrick-Matthews).

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  2. Isca Dumnoni̯norum; Exeter.

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  3. https://www.academia.edu/4175080 (p6)

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  4. https://www.academia.edu/4175080 (p14)

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Bibliography and editions

Critical editions and further reading

Supplemental digital resources

  • Manuscript witness. BnF Latin 4794, British section of the Ravenna Cosmography. 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.