"Italiae Veteris Specimen", Ortelius, Abraham

Ortelius based this map on Gastaldi's map with the additional cartography from classical sources, namely Virgilius, Plinius, Aelianus, Aethicus, Strabo, Polybius, and Varro. It is beautifully rendered with three cartouches, including one at bottom left that features Vespasianus Augustus, imperial Roman Caesar, and Antoninus Pius, imperial Caesar of Italy, on copper coins. The seas are stipple-engraved, and the map extends to include the Adriatic Sea, Corsica, and northern Sardinia. This is the second edition, with different decorative cartouches at bottom and no date. Latin text on verso.

References: Van den Broecke #205.

Condition: A

A crisp impression with a short centerfold separation confined to the bottom blank margin that has been archivally repaired on verso.