Table of Noteworthy Cities (Ptolemy)
The Table of Noteworthy Cities (Ancient Greek: Επισημον Πολεων Κανον, romanized: Episemon Poleon Kanon) (also known as "the Kanon") is a list of cities compiled by Ptolemy shortly after creating the Geography. Whilst the term "επισημοι πολεισ/episemoi poleis" (noteworthy cities) was in use before his time, Ptolemy is thought to have popularised the term. Roberts (1938) suggests that it formed an aid ("hilsmittel") to the Handy Tables.
Text
[edit]Originally, the text of the Kanon was thought, for example by Vogul Fischer, to derive from Chapter 8 of the Geography,[1] however it is now demonstrated to be part of an independent textual tradition.[2] The first critical edition of the text by C. H. Roberts appeared in 1938, which was again revised in 2020 by O. Defaux.
Several medieval recensions of the text survive with the earliest being the early 3rd century P. Ryl. Gr. 3 522 in the Rylands Library of Manchester University;[3] the next 4 oldest manuscripts date to the 9th century:[2]
- F: Firenze, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Pluteus 28.26
- H: Leiden, Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, BPG 78
- M: Venezia, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, gr. 331
- V: Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, gr. 1291
Rylands Papyrus 522
[edit]The Rylands Papyrus 522 is the earliest surviving fragment of the Kanon, dating from the early 3rd century AD, less than a generation after Ptolemy himself. According to Defaux, who produced the critical edition and translation in 2020, the following cities are mentioned in the fragment:[2][4]
| City | Latitude | Longitude |
| Clunia | 11° | 42° |
| Caesaraugusta | 14° 30’ | 41° 30’ |
| Gallia Aquitania | ||
| Mediolanum | 17° 40’ | 46° 45’ |
| Burgigala | 18° | 45° 30’ |
| Gallia Lugdunensis | ||
| Augustodunum | 23° 20’ | 46° 10’ |
| Lugdunum | 23° 15’ | 45° 20’ |
| Gallia Belgica | ||
| Gesoriacum | 22° 30’ | 53° 20’ |
| Durocottorum | 23° 15’ | 48° 30’ |
| Gallia Narbonensis | ||
| Massalia | 21° 10’ | 43° 5’ |
| Narbo | 21° 30’ | 43° 15’ |
| Arelate | 21° 15’ | 43° 20’ |
| Vienna | 23° | 44° |
| Nemausus | 22° | 44° 30’ |
| Germania | ||
| Pannonia Superior | ||
| Poetovio | ||
| Scarbantia | ||
| Emona | ||
| Pannonia Inferior | ||
| Servitium | ||
| Mursia | ||
| Sirmium | 4 4° 30’ | 45° [...] |
| Illyricym | ||
| Iader | 42° | 43° 20’ |
| Salonae | 4[3]° 30’ | 43° 40’ |
| Sidrona | [4]3° 15’ | 44° 30’ |
| Narona | 44° 20’ | [42°] 45’ |
| Scardona Insula | 41° 30’ | [43° 30’] |
| Italia | ||
| Nicotera Aricia | 28° | 4[...] |
| Terracinae | 37° 30’ | |
| Neapolis | ||
| Rhegium Iulium | ||
| Tarentum | ||
| Brundisium | ||
| Ancona | ||
| Ravenna | ||
| Aquileia | ||
| Praeneste | ||
| Pisae | ||
| Roma | ||
| Beneventum | ||
| Capua | ||
| Corsica Insula | ||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Roberts, C. H. (1938). Catalogue of the Greek and Latin Papyri in the John Rylands Library Manchester, Volume III, Theological and Literary Texts (Nos. 457-551). Manchester University Library. pp. 142–6.
- ^ a b c Defaux, Olivier (2020-01-01). "Le Papyrus Rylands 522/523 et les tables de Ptolémée". Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik.
- ^ "Episemon poleon kanon". luna.manchester.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
- ^ Defaux, Olivier (2017). The Iberian peninsula in Ptolemy's geography: origins of the coordinates and textual history (Thesis). Berlin: PRO BUSINESS digital printing Deutschland GmbH. ISBN 9783981638462. pp.122-6
External links
[edit]- Rylands Papyrus Greek 522 - a 3rd century fragment of the Kanon. See catalogue entry here.