Cartographica Neerlandica Background for Ortelius Map No. 216

Title: INSVLAR. ALIQVOT AEGAEI MARIS ANTIQVA DESCRIP. | "Ex Conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij Antverpiani". [From the geographical efforts of Abraham Ortelius of Antwerp]. RHENIA - ICARIA - EVBOEA - SAMVS - CEOS - RHODVS - CHIOS - CYPRVS, | "Insula læta choris, blandorum | et mater amorum". [Cyprus, the happy, leading island, pleasant, and the mother of love]. LESBOS - LEMNOS (cartouche bottom right:) "Cum priuilegio decennali 1584". [With a privilege for ten years].

Plate size: 364 x 475 mm. Ten maps on one plate.
Identification number: Ort 216 (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pa-j, Karrow: 1/162, van der Krogt AN: 7500+8130:31).

Title 216a: Rhenia, Delus (Rinia & Dilos)

Scale: 1 : 125,000. Size: 72 x 125 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216a (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pa, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216a.1 as described;
216a.2: in 1601, "Melanthij scopuli" between the two islands were removed.
Cartographic sources: Plinius, Pausanias, Tullius, Plutarchus and Thucydides.

Title 216b: Icaria (Nicaria)

Scale: 1 : 400,000. Size: 45 x 125 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216b (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pb, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216b.1 only.
Cartographic sources: Strabo, Ovidius (relating Icarus' story, this island being his seat), and Pausanias.

Title 216c: Euboea

Scale: 1 : 1,250,000. Size: 100 x 188 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216c (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pc, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216c.1 as described;
216c.2: "Zarethra" was added in the list of uncertain locations in 1592.
216c.3: "Adepsus" was changed to "Ædepsus" in 1601.
216c.4: "Lichades | insule" top left was changed into "Lichades" | insulæ in 1624.
Cartographic sources: Procopius, Plinius, Strabo and Wolfgang Lazius' book on Euboea.

Title 216d: Samus (Samos)

Scale: 1 : 350,000. Size: 75 x 120 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216d (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pd, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216d.1 as described;
216d.2: "Iunonium | sacrum" in the East was changed into "Iunonis | sacrum" in 1592.
Cartographic sources: Heraklites, Vergilius, Athenæus, Apuleius, Plutarchus, Strabo and Polycrates.

Title 216e: Cia (Keos, near Euboea)

Scale: 1 : 250,000. Size: 44 x 120 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216e (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pe, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216e.1 only.
Cartographic sources: Ælianus and Varro.

Title 216f: Rhodus (Rhodes)

Scale: 1 : 700,000. Size: 98 x 71 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216f (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pf, Karrow: 1/162)
States: 216f.1 as described;
216f.2: RHODVS "quæ et Ialysus" was simplified to RHODVS in 1601.
216f.3: "Mna|syrium" was changed to "Mna:|syrium" and "Iasysus pagus" was reduced to "Iasysus" in 1624.
Cartographic sources: Plinius, Ammianus, Strabo, Polybius and Philostrates.

Title 216g: Chios

Scale: 1 : 600,000. Size: 88 x 70 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216g (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pg, Karrow: 1/162).
States: 216g.1 as described;
216g.2: "Helene | fons" was added in 1592.
Cartographic sources: Thucydides, Plinius, Vitruvius, Eusebius, Herodotos and Strabo.

Title 216h: Cyprus; list of uncertain peoples and places;

Scale: 1 : 1,000,000. Size: 190 x 273 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216h (Koeman/Meurer: 8Ph, Karrow: 1/162).
States: 216h.1
216h.2: "Amathus" was added on the South coast in 1592.
216h.3: in the list of uncertain locations, "Alcathi villa" and "Cephalus" were added, and "Pileus" was changed into "Plieus" in 1601.
Cartographic sources: Plinius, Strabo, Eustathius, Herodotus, Hadrianus and Athenæus.

Title 216i: Lesbos

Scale: 1 : 800,000. Size: 102 x 70 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216i (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pi, Karrow: 1/162).
States: 216i.1 as described;
216i.2: "Sina" was added in the list of uncertain locations in 1601.
Cartographic sources: Strabo, Ælianus, Pausanias, Antigonus, Diodorus Siculus, Plinius and Athenæus.

Title: 216j: Lemnos

Scale: 1 : 600,000. Size: 87 x 70 mm.
Identification number: Ort 216j (Koeman/Meurer: 8Pj, Karrow: 1/162).
States: 216j.1 only.
Cartographic sources: Statius, Solinus, Plinius and Apollodorus.

In summary, the plate shows four states starting: 1584, 1592, 1601 and 1624.

Occurrence in Theatrum editions and page number:
1584L3AddL2blank (100 copies printed) (no page number, last line, in cursive script like the entire text: "uentrix fuit Pamphilia Latoi filia,non fraudanda gloria excognitatæ rationis,ut denudet seminis vestis,bombycina nempe."),
1584L108 (750 copies printed) (last line, left aligned, in cursive script like the entire text: "uentrix fuit Pamphila Latoi filia,non fraudanda gloria excogitatæ rationis, vt denudet feminis vestis, bombycina nempe."),
1584G3Add21 in upper right corner (75 copies printed) (last line, left aligned, in Gothic script like the entire text: ser Insul sey den Weibern ein zärter kleyd erstanden/welches Pamphila Latoi Tochter erfunden etc.),
1585F3Add22 (75 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: laquelle ne doit estre frustree de l'honneur de la cause pourquoy, car elle le fit pour deuestir les femmes de la robbe de soye.),
1587F106 (250 copies printed) (last line, left aligned, in very small font: laquelle ne doit estre frustrée de l'honneur de la cause pourquoy, car elle le fit pour devestis les femmes de la robe de soye.),
1592L17 (525 copies printed) (last line first text page, right aligned: octo ; last line second text page, left aligned: bombycina nempe.),
1595LX (500 copies printed) (last line, first text page: inde Chium vocant,omnium Græcanicorum optimum,vt Strabo, Ælianus,& alij affirmant.Hoc in Aruisio agro circa Pelinæum montem proue- ; last line second text page, left aligned: te incipiebant.),
1601Lxxviij (200 copies printed) (last line first text page, right aligned: nit. Vi- ; last line second text page, left aligned: rare incipiebant.),
1602G26 (250 copies printed) (last line, left aligned, in Gothic script like the entire text: kleyd erstanden/welches Pamphila Latoi Tochter erfunden/etc.),
1603Lxxx (300 copies printed) (text and page number, but not typesetting, identical to 1609/1612S/L; 7th line from the bottom ends in cursive script: "inter"; last line, first text page, right aligned: montem ; last line second text page, in cursive script, left aligned: "ob ætatem delitare incipiebant".),
1606Exxviij (300 copies printed) (last line, first text page, cursive like the entire text, full width: Lesbus, "the sonne of" Lapithus. Pliny "and" Athenæus "do affirme it to be a very fertile soile and good for vines" ; "the wine" Athenæus "doth so highly commend, that he | saith" ; last line second text page, in cursive writing, left aligned: "are wholly unprofitable for any uses or seruices in their countrey, beginning now to dote by reason of their great age."),
1608/1612Ixxx (300 copies printed) (last line first text page, right aligned: to nel ; last line second text page, left aligned, in cursive script like most of this page: "d'esser mente catti".),
1609/1612Sxxx (text in Latin) = 1609/1612Lxxx (600 copies printed) (text and page number, but not typesetting, identical to 1603L; 7th line from the bottom of first text page, in cursive script, ends "hac" ; last line, first text page, right aligned: montem; last line, second text page, left aligned, in italic script: "inutiles,iam ob ætatem delirare incipiebant".),
1624LParergon/1641Sxxxiiij (1025 copies printed) (last line, first text page, second column, right aligned: deinde ; last line, second text page, second column, left aligned: inutiles,animo iam ob ætatem delirare incipiente.).

Approximate number of copies printed: 5450.

Remarks:
This map was reproduced in quite some detail on a stamp issued by the government of Cyprus in 1974.

Text

Bibliographical sources

Topographical names