Pomponius Mela

Among the earliest Roman geographers, and author of the only extant geographical treatise in Classical Latin. Pomponius Mela was born in southern Spain. From a reference in his work to the Emperor's proposed expedition to Britain in 43CE, Mela appears to have lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius. His famous geographical treatise, ‘De Situ Orbis’, remained highly influential throughout the following centuries until the Age of Exploration began.