The Tabula Peutingeriana, an extraordinary artefact
The Tabula Peutingeriana (or Peutinger Map) is one of the most extraordinary artefacts from antiquity that has survived to this day. It is an itinerarium pictum, or illustrated road map, showing the road network of the Roman Empire. Often described as the “Google Maps of ancient Rome”, it was not designed to ensure geographical accuracy, but to facilitate travel.
The map owes its name to Konrad Peutinger, but he was not the one who found it. It was discovered by the humanist Conrad Celtes in 1494 in a library in Worms (Germany). It passed from Celtes to Peutinger in 1508 for publication. It remained a secret for centuries, until it was sold to Prince Eugene of Savoy and finally purchased by the Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek), where it is now kept under strict protection (rarely exhibited because light could fade the colours).
The Tabula Peutingeriana is not just a map, but a true “archive of secrets” of the Roman Empire. Although it is a medieval copy (12th–13th century), it conceals details that allow us to travel back in time to the era of Augustus and Constantine. Many scholars believe that the Tabula is the only surviving copy of the lost map by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (son-in-law of Emperor Augustus).
It is thought that the original was engraved in marble and affixed under the Porticus Vipsania in Rome, near the Ara Pacis, so that all citizens could see the extent of Rome’s power. It was not meant to be merely looked at, but to be used. The symbols had precise meanings. The Tabula measures approximately 6.75 metres but is only 34 centimetres high. Composed of 11 parchments joined together, it shows 200,000 km of roads and the location of cities, seas, rivers, forests and mountain ranges.
History and secrets
Here are the most fascinating stories and secrets of this unique document. The map is a medieval copy of a Roman original, probably dating back to the 4th century AD, although it contains elements dating back to the 1st century (such as Pompeii, destroyed in 79 AD). It is a long, narrow parchment scroll, approximately 6.75 metres (22 feet) long and only 34 centimetres (13 inches) high. It covers the entire Roman Empire, stretching from Britain and Spain in the west to India and even China in the east.
It consists of 11 segments of parchment. A twelfth segment, covering Britain and the Iberian Peninsula, has unfortunately been lost over time. The map is “flattened”. In order to fit the vast empire onto a narrow scroll, north–south distances are greatly compressed, while east–west routes are elongated. Roads are represented by straight red lines connecting various “stations” (stops).
The importance of a place is indicated by a symbol. The “stops” on the Tabula Peutingeriana represent the true operational heart of the map. They were not simply points on a drawing, but the pillars of the Cursus Publicus, the sophisticated imperial postal and transport system that allowed orders and news to travel at speeds of over 70–100 km per day. Along the roads were the Mansiones. These were the “Grand Hotels” of antiquity. They were spaced about 30–40 km apart (a day’s journey) and were reserved for government officials or travellers with special permits.
They offered food, lodging, stables, workshops for repairing carts and, often, a small military garrison. Icons with a square layout and a central courtyard indicate rest stops equipped with thermal baths, essential for travellers using the Cursus Publicus (the imperial postal service). While in the rest of the Empire distances are expressed in Roman miles (1.48 km), in Gaul the Tabula uses leagues (approximately 2.22 km). This shows that the Romans respected local units of measurement to facilitate travellers and postal officials (Cursus Publicus).
The Rhône and Rhine rivers are drawn with thick green lines, almost like water highways, essential for transporting troops and goods towards the Germanic frontier (Limes). Only three cities are depicted as royal figures on thrones: Rome, Constantinople and Antioch. Jerusalem is present, but is indicated by its Roman name Colonia Aelia Capitolina. In the Tabula Peutingeriana, Verona occupies a position of great strategic importance, reflecting its real significance as a key road junction in Roman northern Italy.
Verona is located in Segment IV (or Pars IV) of the map. Its symbol consists of two towers. Verona is positioned just above the great bend of the River Padus (the Po) and below the stylised representation of the Alps, which appear as a series of brown or reddish “ridges” at the top of the segment. Major cities are often shown with defensive walls or distinctive landmarks, such as the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Simple house icons indicate overnight stops or postal stations, the mansiones. The numbers written between the stations indicate distances in Roman miles (or leagues in some provinces).
In the eastern section, the map extends as far as India and Sri Lanka (Insula Taprobane). In these remote regions, curious inscriptions appear, such as “Hic elephanti nascuntur” (Here elephants are born) or references to Alexander the Great. The original Tabula ended in the west with Great Britain and Spain. However, the first of the 11 original segments has been lost. What we see today begins with the eastern part of Great Britain; Spain and Morocco are absent. In 2007, it was declared UNESCO World Heritage in recognition of its historical significance.
