1635 – Elzevier – Galliae Veteris Descriptio

Title:               Galliae Veteris Descriptio
                        (Description of Ancient Gaul)

Description:

This is an original copper-engraved map of Gaul in Caesar’s time. It comes from the celebrated pocket edition of Julius Caesar’s works, C. Iulii Caesaris quae extant, published by the Elzevier press in Leiden in 1635 in Joseph Scaliger’s text. It is the key map for Caesar’s Gallic War, and it marks the tribes and strongholds named in his account.

It shows Gaul from the Channel to the Alps and the Mediterranean:

• Belgic Gaul: the Morini, Atrebates, Bellovaci, Suessiones, Remi, Nervii, Eburones, Treviri and Mediomatrici, with the Forest of the Ardennes (Arduenna silva).
• Celtic Gaul: the Parisii with Lutetia (Paris), the Carnutes, Senones, Aedui with Bibracte, the Bituriges with Avaricum, and the Arverni with Gergovia.
• Aquitania: the Aquitani.
• Siege sites of the war: Alexia (Alesia), Uxellodunum, Vesontio (Besançon) and Genabum (Orléans).
• The south: the Roman Provincia with Narbo, Arelate and Massilia (Marseille).
• Beyond Gaul: the Helvetii, Rauraci and Tigurini in Switzerland; Gallia Cisalpina in northern Italy, with the Rubicon marked as the ancient border of Italy; southern Britain with Londinium and Cantium; the Sicambri and Ubii across the Rhine.

The title runs in a band across the top, with latitude and longitude scales around the border.

Publisher:           Elzevier press (Ex officina Elzeviriana)

From:                   C. Iulii Caesaris quae extant, ex emendatione Ios. Scaligeri,

Frame size:          24,5 cm x 21,5 cm

City/Year:             Leiden, 1635

Technique:           copper engraving

Reference:            Bavarian State Library copy, A.lat.b. 148

Condition:
Good. The impression is clear. There is light even toning, a small brown stain near Lutetia, faint marks along the old folds, and a few small spots. It is framed under glass with a white mat with drawn lines, in a silver frame matching the other two Elzevier Caesar maps.

This is a ORIGINAL antique book published in 1635 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity