The Periplus Ponti Euxini (“Circumnavigation of the Black Sea”) by Arrian of Nicomedia (c. 86–after 146 CE) is a remarkable example of Roman geographical and administrative writing from the early 2nd century CE. The term Periplus, derived from the Greek periplous (“a sailing-around”), refers to a navigational text describing a coastal voyage. Written around 130 CE, the work takes the form of a letter from Arrian, then Governor of Cappadocia under Emperor Hadrian (reign 117–138 CE), to the emperor himself. Arrian details his journey around the Black Sea, combining practical maritime descriptions with political and strategic observations - an account that mirrors Hadrian’s broader interest in consolidating and understanding the empire’s frontiers.
The text serves both as a navigational manual and as a document of imperial governance, listing ports, harbors, and coastal landmarks while recording the distances and conditions faced by sailors. Beyond its technical value, the Periplus offers insight into Roman control and economic integration of the Black Sea region, highlighting its role as a hub for trade between the Mediterranean and Eurasian interiors. It reflects the Roman worldview of exploration, order, and connectivity, illustrating how geography, administration, and imperial ideology intertwined during Hadrian’s reign.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2023, December 12). Map of a Circumnavigation of the Black Sea c. 130 CE: Arrian of Nicomedia's "Periplus Ponti Euxini". World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18252/map-of-a-circumnavigation-of-the-black-sea-c-130-c/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of a Circumnavigation of the Black Sea c. 130 CE: Arrian of Nicomedia's "Periplus Ponti Euxini"." World History Encyclopedia, December 12, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18252/map-of-a-circumnavigation-of-the-black-sea-c-130-c/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of a Circumnavigation of the Black Sea c. 130 CE: Arrian of Nicomedia's "Periplus Ponti Euxini"." World History Encyclopedia, 12 Dec 2023, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18252/map-of-a-circumnavigation-of-the-black-sea-c-130-c/.
