The configuration of the Pontus Euxinus in Ptolemy's <i>Geography</i>

Shcheglov, Dmitry A.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-11-31-2020

Articles | Volume 11, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-11-31-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-11-31-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 11, issue 1

01 Apr 2020

| 01 Apr 2020

The configuration of the Pontus Euxinus in Ptolemy's Geography

Dmitry A. Shcheglov

Data sets

Supplement 1: Length of the Pontus coastline according to the Ξ and Ω recensions of Ptolemy’s Geography and a corrected version of the Ξ recension D. A. Shcheglov https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3621293

Supplement 2: Length of the Pontus coastline according to Menippus', Arrian's, and Pseudo-Arrian's distance data D. A. Shcheglov https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3621307

Supplement 3: Modern coordinates of the Pontus coastal points mentioned by Ptolemy D. A. Shcheglov https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3621315

Supplement 4: Comparison of Ptolemy's and Pseudo-Arrian's coastline length data D. A. Shcheglov https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3621317

Supplement 5: Comparison of Ptolemy's and Strabo's coastline length data D. A. Shcheglov https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3621328

Short summary

This article argues that the configuration of the Pontus Euxinus (the Black Sea), as described in Ptolemy's Geography, can be satisfactorily explained as a result of fitting contradictory pieces of information together that were inherited from earlier geographers, under the assumption that his sources were similar to those that have come down to us. The method is based on comparison of Ptolemy's data with the other ancient sources, revealing conspicuous similarities and differences between them.