Discover the historical timeline of events that has shaped and influenced the incredible collection of antique maps, atlases and objects of Oculi Mundi.

Historical Timeline of Events | Oculi Mundi

Historical Timeline of Events

 is established; the arts, science, and trade flourish.

 produces the first known world map, representing the Earth as a cylinder.

 begin producing local maps carved into stone tablets, some of the earliest maps ever recorded.

Hecataeus of Miletus produces a world map, representing the Earth as a disc made up of two continents, surrounded by an ocean.

The Greek explorer Scylax voyages to the Mediterranean. The record of his journey becomes the basis for Medieval maps of the region.

Geographical writing begins in China: the Book of Documents describes the characteristics of China's nine provinces.

 hypothesises that the Earth is a sphere.

 travel to Europe, Asia, and Libya. He documents his voyages in a manuscript called the "Histories".

 proves that the Earth is a sphere through his observations of the lunar eclipse, horizon, and the position of the stars.

A theory emerges among ancient philosophers that the Earth is made up of climactic zones, called climes.

Lifetime of Alexander the Great, during which he conquered large areas of Western Asia and Egypt.

Founding of the great library at Alexandria

The first maps are mentioned in Chinese historical records. 

 and begins the first imperial government.

 calculates the Earth's circumference and produces a grid of meridian coordinates. He is the first philosopher to use the term "geography".

 writes the "Almagest", the "Tetrabiblos" and the "Geographia". The "Geographia" describes two map projects and lists the coordinates for over 8,000 places.

 observes the Moon's phases, the equinoxes, and the solstice. He uses this information to calculate the Sun's orbit and to produce a latitudinal system.

The Roman calendar is reformed into the Julian Calendar with a year made up of 365 days split into 12 months, and a leap year every four years.

Pomponius Mela writes "De situ orbis" and claims that the Earth is made up of five climactic zones.

Phoenician Marinus of Tyre, comes up with the idea of a network of meridians and parallels on which to plot coordinate locations. The Roman Empire reaches its peak.

Agathodaemon of Alexandria creates a map of the known 

 is founded, preserving Greek and Roman knowledge into the Middle Ages.

St. Jerome finishes the Vulgate translation of the Bible.

 of Romulus Augustulus, and Europe's geographic achievements come to a standstill.

Justinian I rules as Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Emperor, known as Justinian the Great.

Justinian Code of Civil Law written; the founding of the Order of Saint Benedict.

The Prophet Muhammed is born, founder of 

 are under Arabic rule under the name Al-Andalus.

Saint Othmar founds the Carolingian monstary and library of St Gallen in Switzerland, one of the world's oldest and most important monastic libraries. 

Claudius Ptolemy's "Almagest",  his seminal work on astronomy theorising a geocentric universe, is translated from Greek into Arabic.

 is crowned Holy Roman Emperor, beginning a period of cultural renaissance.   

The Viking army use navigational aids to land in England and influence the names of over 2,000 places.

Earliest known printed book published in China.

Alfred the Great becomes the first king of a united England.

Abū Zayd al-Balkhī founds the Balkhī School of cartography in Baghdad, the group produce atlases and world maps.

 publishes the "Codex Masudicus" and hypothesises that there is a landmass between Asia and Europe, which was later 'discovered' to be America.

Shen Kuo produces an atlas of China and a three-dimensional map of its topography.

The 'great schism' in Christianity divides Western Catholocism from Eastern Orthodoxy.

 arrives in England and defeats King Harold II at the 

 compiled, the first land survey of England and parts of Wales; this lead to a similar Norman survey of Italy in 1100.

The first university is established in Bologna, which increases interest in gathering specialised knowledge in developing disciplines such as geography.

Jerusalem is captured by Christian forces during the 

s, resulting in increased travel to the Middle East and the production of maps documenting the Holy Land.

Muhammad al-Idrisi creates "The Book of Pleasant Journeys into Faraway Lands" and his famous map, the "

William de Conches produces the "Dragmaticon Philosophiae", a text containing one of the earliest world maps.

The Third Crusade sees the Christian forces failing to retake Jerusalem after it was captured by 

Huang Shang creates a terrestrial map called "Dili Tu" and a star chart called "Tianwen tu".

An Early Thirteenth-Century T-O by William of Conches 

" is composed and signed, limiting the powers of King John of England.

The Swiss Confederacy is founded by the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden.

's travel accounts begin to circulate in manuscript.

Pietro Vesconte produces the first known portolan chart, depicting the eastern Mediterranean.

Dante Alighieri publishes his inspirational work, "

 begins in Europe, prompting a cultural interest in ancient knowledge, arts, and culture.


 plague pandemic spreads through Europe, killing about a third of the population, and causing social and economic disruption.

 travels to Southeast Asia, Africa and India.

The Jewish cartographer, Abraham Cresques creates the astonishing 

Founding of the Medici Bank, part of the business of the Medici family that enabled sustained patronising of the arts in Florence during the Renaissance.

Portuguese explorers begin travelling to the West Coast of Africa.

e, the first to do so in Europe, making book production faster and more sophisticated.


Around this time, the first use of copperplate and copperplate printing occured in Europe

, the largest known medieval world map from Europe.

 end the medieval period in England. The Tudor dynasty rises to power, instrumental in the Age of Discovery and as cartographic patrons.

The Portuguese explorer Alvise Cadamosto voyages to West Africa and 'discovers' the Cape Verde Islands.

Portuguese exploration of the coast of West Africa.

Cardinal Bessarion commissions a new Latin translation of Claudius 

" from Georg von Peurbach and Regiomontanus.

 is published in print, including the first printed European world map.

João Corte-Real crosses the Atlantic to Newfoundland.

The First Printed World Map from Isidore of Seville's 'Etymologies'

The First Chronicle of the World with Printed Maps

The illuminator, Taddeo Crivelli moves to Bologna and begins taking on cartographic commissions.

An Alternative T-O Map from Isidore of Seville's 'Etymologies'

First printed atlas, the Bologna edition of Claudius Ptolemy's "Geographia", is printed, with maps by Taddeo Crivelli.

Second printed atlas, the Rome edition of Claudius Ptolemy's "Geographia", is printed.

Francesco Berlinghieri publishes his edition of Claudius Ptolemy's "Geographia" in vernacular Italian, one of the earliest uses of copperplate bookmaking, and one of the first books to be printed in a popular language rather than Latin.

An Important Early Ptolemaic World Map

World Map Engraved by Taddeo Crivelli

Berlinghieri's 'Geographia' Atlas, written in vernacular Italian

The Ulm Ptolemy World Map, with lapis lazuli colouring

Berlinghieri's Ptolemaic World Map in Contemporary Colour

A Bijoux World Map from Mela's 'Cosmographia' 

Leinhart Holl prints the famous Ulm edition of Claudius Ptolemy's "Geographia", with richly coloured woodblock maps.

The Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope.

T-O map from Rolewinck’s World Chronicle

Portuguese explorers begin travelling to the Indian Ocean.

Reger’s Reissue of the Ulm Ptolemy World Map in Original Colour

Bartolomeu Dias rounds Cape of Good Hope.

Timeline reference

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600 BCE

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600 BCE

520 BCE

520 BCE

515 BCE

515 BCE

500c BCE

500c BCE

490c BCE

490c BCE

430 BCE

430 BCE