The Edges of the Earth in Ancient Thought : Geography, Exploration, and Fiction

For the Greeks and Romans the earth's farthest perimeter was a realm radically different from what they perceived as central and human. The alien qualities of these "edges of the earth" became the basis of a literary tradition that endured throughout antiquity and into the Renaissance, despite the growing challenges of emerging scientific perspectives. Here James Romm surveys this tradition, revealing that the Greeks, and to a somewhat lesser extent the Romans, saw geography not as a branch of physical science but as an important literary genre. Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Works Frequently Cited......Page 13 Introduction – Geography as a Literary Tradition......Page 19 One – The Boundaries of Earth......Page 25 Boundaries and the Boundless......Page 27 Ocean and Cosmic Disorder......Page 36 Roads around the World......Page 42 Herodotus and the Changing World Picture......Page 48 Aristotle and After......Page 57 Two – Ethiopian and Hyperborean......Page 61 The Blameless Ethiopians......Page 65 The Fortunate Hyperboreans......Page 76 Arimaspians and Scythians......Page 83 The Kunokephaloi......Page 93 Three – Wonders of the East......Page 98 Before Alexander......Page 99 Marvel-Collectors and Critics......Page 110 The Late Romance Tradition......Page 125 Four – Ultima Thule and Beyond......Page 137 Antipodal Ambitions......Page 140 The North Sea Coast......Page 156 The Headwaters of the Nile......Page 165 The Atlantic Horizon......Page 172 Five – Geography and Fiction......Page 188 Ocean and Poetry......Page 192 The Voyage of Odysseus......Page 199 Pytheas, Euhemerus, and Others......Page 212 The Fictions of Exploration......Page 218 Epilogue – After Columbus......Page 231 Index......Page 239 The Edges Of The Earth Became The Basis Of A Literary Tradition, Surveyed Here, Revealing That The Greeks, And To A Somewhat Lesser Extent The Romans, Saw Geography Not As A Branch Of Physical Science But As An Important Literary Genre. Introduction: Geography As A Literary Tradition -- The Boundaries Of Earth -- Boundaries And The Boundless -- Ocean And Cosmic Disorder -- Roads Around The World -- Herodotus And The Changing World Picture -- Aristotle And After -- Ethiopian And Hyperborean -- The Blameless Ethiopians -- The Fortunate Hyperboreans -- Arimaspians And Scythians -- The Kunokephaloi -- Wonders Of The East -- Before Alexander -- Marvel-collectors And Critics -- The Late Romance Tradition -- Ultima Thule And Beyond -- Antipodal Ambitions -- The North Sea Coast -- The Headwaters Of The Nile -- The Atlantic Horizon -- Geography And Fiction -- Ocean And Poetry -- The Voyage Of Odysseus -- Pytheas, Euhemerus, And Others -- The Fictions Of Exploration -- Epilogue: After Columbus. James S. Romm. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This investigation reveals that the ancient Greeks and Romans perceived the "edges of the Earth" as an alien realm which became the basis of a literary tradition that endured throughout antiquity and into the Renaissance, despite the growing contradictions of scientific enquiry.