What is an itinerarium in ancient Roman travel?
An itinerarium was an ancient Roman travel guide in the form of a listing of cities, villages and other stops on the way. These documents included distances between each stop and the next.
Questions about Itinerarium
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Julius Caesar commission the first known master itinerary of all Roman roads?
Julius Caesar and Mark Antony commissioned the first known such effort in 44 BCE. Three Greek geographers named Zenodoxus, Theodotus of Byzantium, and Polykleitos the Younger were hired to survey the system.
Where were the four Vicarello Cups found and what do they contain?
Four Vicarello Cups made of silver were found in 1852 by workmen excavating a foundation near Bracciano northwest of Rome. They are engraved with the names and distances of 104 stations on the road between Gades and Rome.
Who wrote the Itinerarium Burdigalense and when was it created?
The Itinerarium Burdigalense describes a route taken by a pilgrim from Bordeaux in France to the Holy Land in AD 333. This text serves as a historical record of that specific journey.
How did the meaning of itinerarium change over the centuries?
In the medieval period the term was applied to guide-books written by travelers describing pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Later usage expanded to include broader historical and religious narratives beyond practical lists of cities along a road.