Ancient Greek and Roman Contributions to Geography

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What was the significant contribution of Strabo to geography?

He calculated the circumference of the earth

He discovered new continents

His monumental work on geography provided a review of earlier geographers' works (correct)

He developed the concept of climatology

What is a characteristic of the Roman contribution to geography?

They produced very little of their own in the field of geography (correct)

They made significant original contributions

They developed the concept of geomorphology

They focused mainly on oceanography

When did ancient geography come to an end?

With the death of Eratosthenes

With the fall of the Roman Empire

With the monumental work of Ptolemy (correct)

With the discovery of America

What was significant about Strabo's work?

It was found almost intact Signup and view all the answers

What can be said about the Roman contribution to geography?

It was not significant Signup and view all the answers

What was the nature of Strabo's writing?

It was a review of the works of other geographers Signup and view all the answers

What marked the end of ancient geography?

The monumental work of Ptolemy Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Strabo's work in the context of ancient geography?

It provided a comprehensive review of earlier geographers' works Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary reason for the Egyptians to develop ways to measure land areas?

To collect taxes and identify field boundaries Signup and view all the answers

How many distinct traditions of geographical studies can be traced among the ancient Greek scholars?

Two Signup and view all the answers

What did the Greek scholars produce in their geographical studies?

Topographical descriptions of places in the known world Signup and view all the answers

During which time period did the Greeks and Romans dominate the knowledge world?

Ancient Classical Period (About 1200 B.C.- 500 A.D) Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary contribution of the Greek scholars to geography?

Understanding of natural conditions and culture Signup and view all the answers

What was the role of scholars during the Ancient Time Period?

To dominate the knowledge world Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the Nile floods in the Egyptian context?

It obliterated field boundaries Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary contribution of the Romans to geography?

No information is provided about Roman contributions Signup and view all the answers

What was the approach to geography in the Christian world during the Middle Ages?

Translation of earlier Greek and Roman works Signup and view all the answers

What was the impact of European geographical explorations and voyages on their geographical outlook?

It widened and broadened their geographical outlook Signup and view all the answers

What was the attitude of Muslim scholars towards Ptolemy's works?

They were fascinated by his works Signup and view all the answers

What contributions did Muslim geographers make to the field of geography?

Valuable contributions to climatology and geomorphology Signup and view all the answers

What did Muslim scholars do to discard the Greek concept of habitability?

They travelled widely, collecting facts from observations Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of geography did Muslim geographers draw attention to?

Man-environment relations Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ancient Time Period

The ancient Greeks made tremendous advancements in geomorphology, climatology, and oceanography.
Eratosthenes and Hipparchus studied the size, shape, and circumference of the earth.

Contribution of Romans

The Romans produced little original work in geography.
Strabo's monumental work on geography is significant, with only a few minor parts missing.
Strabo's writing reviews the works of other geographers since the time of Homer.
Ancient geography came to an end with the monumental work of Ptolemy in the second century after Christ.

Medieval Time Period

This period was dominated by contributions from Arab scholars.
Arab scholars attempted to change earlier versions and introduced new concepts.
This era can be divided into two periods: Early Medieval Period and Late Medieval Period.
Notable Arab scholars include Al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, Al-Idrisi, Al-Masudi, Ibn Batuta, and Ibn Khaldun.
The Late Medieval Period saw contributions from scholars like Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Captain Cook, Amerigo Vespucci, and William Jansz, marking a period of discovery and renaissance.

Early Medieval Period

The period started after the fall of the Roman Empire and continued until the beginning of the Renaissance.

Arab Geographical Thought

In the Christian world, geography was limited to translating earlier Greek and Roman works, with deductions made on theoretical grounds.
European geographical explorations and voyages widened their geographical outlook.
Muslim scholars initially adopted Ptolemy's incorrect notion of an enclosed Indian Ocean, but this idea was later discarded.
Muslim geographers made valuable contributions to climatology and geomorphology, with some notions still relevant today.
Muslim scholars traveled widely, collecting facts from observations and discarding the Greek concept of habitability.
Muslim geographers emphasized man-environment relations and environmental determinism.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

This quiz explores the contributions of ancient Greek and Roman scholars to the field of geography, including Eratosthenes and Hipparchus' observations on the earth's size and shape, and Strabo's work on geography.