This interactive political map by World History Encyclopedia offers a large-scale overview of the ancient world across all time periods. Choose a date and see what the world looked like.
This gallery of 30 maps traces the history of cartography, with examples of maps made by cultures from the Paleolithic to the early modern period. The maps cover cities, states, continents, sometimes the entire world as it was known at the time they were created, and even the stars.
A reconstructed map of the known world according to Eratosthenes (276-195 BCE), the Greek Alexandrian scholar from Cyrene. (Bunbury, E.H., 1811-1895, 'A History of Ancient Geography among the Greeks and Romans from the Earliest Ages till the Fall of the Roman Empire '. London: John Murray, 1883 CE)
Map of ancient Egypt, showing the major cities and archaeological sites along the Nile River, from Abu Simbel in the south to Alexandria in the north .
Map of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East c. 1300 BCE, showing the period of Great Powers, with the six large kingdoms and empires (the Hittites, the Mycenaean Civilization, Assyria, Babylonia, Elam and the New Kingdom of Egypt) co-existing in relative stability.
This map illustrates the dynamic trade networks of the ancient Mediterranean between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, highlighting the spheres of influence of the Phoenicians and Greeks as they established settlements, trading posts, and seafaring routes across the region.
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In this gallery, we examine the evolution of the Roman Empire through 10 detailed maps. From Julius Caesar 's victories to the splitting of the empire, these maps trace the geographical growth, the intricate trade network, and the spread of Christianity in one of history's most durable and influential cultures.
