ORBIS Roman mapping resource

[D B Campbell]

I just stumbled across Stanford University's Orbis web site. It looks very interesting. Click on the "Mapping ORBIS" tab to explore routes around and across the Roman world.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I think this was posted some time last year (possibly 2 years ago). It's a great link!

[D B Campbell]

I think this was posted some time last year (possibly 2 years ago). It's a great link!

It certainly is a great resource.

(I searched RAT using the "1 year" option and found nothing, so I thought it must be new to forum-users. The basic version was apparently launched in June 2012, but the fully-featured site seems to date from January 2013.)

[Renatus]

I think this was posted some time last year (possibly 2 years ago). It's a great link!

This must be what you're thinking of:
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/17-roman-mi...tml#312930

[Vindex]

Is it me - but both links now do not seem to work?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

http://orbis.stanford.edu/#

This is the one on my bookmarks page, it works fine.

[Vindex]

Nope - no go! Better try it through Firefox I suppose,

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I don't use Internet Explorer anymore because about 5 minutes in I get a BSOD. I do everything through Firefox now, and if I can't do it with Firefox I use Chrome.

[Renatus]

Nope - no go! Better try it through Firefox I suppose,

I can't get it with IE either but Firefox seems to work.

[66kbm]

Works for me...............but map only goes to to Dunovaria....Modern Dorchester. So I think this site realy needs updating..
There is an Isca listed, at Cearleon, but no Isca Dunomniorum...Exeter. In fact nothing is lisdted west of Dunonovaria..
Are there reasons why or am I missing something?
Kevin

[Flavivs Aetivs]

There's a lot of cities they miss. Catalaunum is one. I think Augustonemetum is missing. Many go by Principate names (e.g. Cenabum instead of Aurelianum).

[66kbm]

Good shout Evan...........BUT.....always a But
My area, sounds personal, I suppose it is really,its also missing at least 10 military camps and many other camps marching/temporary within the South West peninsula of the UK.. I will keep it simple by not going on.....
Kevin

[D B Campbell]

I think this site realy needs updating.. There is an Isca listed, at Cearleon, but no Isca Dunomniorum...Exeter. In fact nothing is lisdted west of Dunonovaria.. Are there reasons why or am I missing something?

Possibly. In the Understanding Orbis tab, the creators explain that "the model is in the first instance confined to the main arterial roads and other essential connectors of the Roman road network instead of seeking to reproduce it in its (known) entirety. Many minor rivers that are not included would have been navigated by rafts and shallow boats. The number of potential sea routes is vast, constrained only by the number of points of anchorage that might be connected across maritime space. By necessity and design, ORBIS models a simplified version of Roman connectivity. By necessity, given the workload associated with any serious attempt to track down every single Roman road and every navigable river, and especially with the computational burden of simulating discrete outcomes for tens of thousands of often only marginally different sea routes."

I suppose most users would be more concerned to learn how long it would take to get (say) from Rome to the provincial capital at London, or even from London to the frontier at Carlisle. It gives us a ballpark figure to play with. I don't think the creators intended to be exhaustive. Life's too short ... :wink: