The
Cosmography is comprised 5 books, the first being an introduction followed by 4 books of
toponym gazetteers and short descriptions. Louis Dillemann's work, which was translated by Professor Colin Smith and published in
Archaeologia in 1979, was the first time that the theories of J Schnetz had been summarised for an English-speaking audience, while
A. L. F. Rivet and Colin Smith used their study of the document to publish
The Place-Names of Roman Britain in the same year. Part of the difficulty with the text is its corruption, which probably results from the author failing to understand his sources, or not appreciating the purpose for which they were written. His original sources may have been of poor quality, resulting in many curious-looking names appearing in the lists. Equally, there are some obvious omissions, although the author was not attempting to produce a complete list of places, as his introduction states: "
In that Britain we read that there were many civitates and forts, of which we wish to name a few." The suggestion that he was using maps is bolstered by phrases such as "next to" which occur frequently, and at one point he states: "
where that same Britain is seen to be narrowest from Ocean to Ocean." Richmond and Crawford were the first to argue that rather than being random, the named places are often clustered around a central point, or spread out along a single road. For most of England, the order seems to follow a series of zig-zags, but this arrangement is less obvious for the south-west and for Scotland. As an indication of the problems of dealing with the text, there are a total of 315 names in the section covering Britain. All three manuscripts agree on the spelling of 200 of these. The
Basle and
Vatican documents agree on the spelling of a further 50, there are 33 more common to the Basle and
Paris documents, and 17 more which appear in the Paris and Vatican documents. There are 8 names for which there is no agreement between the three sources, and 7 names missing from the Paris copy where the other two agree.
Latin Text After Schnetz (1990), locations identified after Fitzpatrick-Matthews (2022) and Rivet & Smith (1979). See also Richmond & Crawford (1949) for images of all the prototype manuscripts:
Chapter 30: British Islands Iterum est insula quae dicitur
Euania Iterum sunt in ipso oceano quae dicuntur
Vectis Malaca Insenos Taniatide. Chapter 31: British Mainland In
oceano vero occidentale est insula quae dicitur
Britania, ubi olim
gens Saxonum veniens ab antiqua
Saxonia cum principe suo nomine Ansehis modo habitare videtur; quamvis insulam, ut diximus, quidam
Grecorum phylosophi quasi imicosmin appellaverunt; nam nos tarn magnam insulam neque in supra scripto Mari Magno neque in praefato oceano dilatissimo neque in quo praediximus sino oceani legendam nullo modo reperimus. In qua Britania plurimas fuisse legimus civitates [et castra], ex quibus aliquantas designare volumus, id est
Giano Eltabo Elconio Nemetotatio Tamaris Puro coronauis Pilais Vernilis Ardua rauenatone Deuionisso Statio deuen tia steno Duriarno Vxelis Verteuia Melamoni Scadumnamo Termonin Mesteuia Milidunum Apaunaris Masona Alouergium Iterum iuxta suprascriptam ciuitatem
Scadonamorum est ciuitas quae dicitur
Moriduno Alauna Silua Omire tedertis Lindinis Canza Dolocindo Clauinio Morionio Boluelaunio Alauna Colonias Aramis Anicetis Melezo Ibernio Bindogladia Nouiomago Onna Venta uelgarom Armis Ardaoneon Nauimago Regentium Leucomago Cunetzone Punctuobice Ventasluru Iupania Metambala Albinumno Isca augusta Bannio Bremia Alabum Cicutio Magnis Brano Genium Epocessa Ypocessa Macatonion Glebon Colonia Argistillum Vertis Salinis Cironium Dobuno Caleba Arbatiu Anderelionuba Mutuantonis Lemanis Dubris Duroauerno Cantiaco Rutupis Durobrabis Landini Tamese Brinauis Alauna Vtriconion Cornouiorum Lauobrinta Mediomano Seguntio Canubio Mediolano Sandonio Deua uictris Veratino Lutudaron Derbentione Salinis Condate Ratecorion Eltauori Lectoceto Iaciodulma Virolanium Londinium augusti Cesaromago Manulodulo colonia Durcinate Durouiguto Durobrisin Ventacenomū Lindum colonia Bannouallum Nauione Aquis arnemeza Zerdotalia Mantio Alicuna Camulodono Caluuio Galluuio Medibogdo Cantauenti Iuliocenon Gabrocentio Alauna Bribra Maio Olerica Deruentione Rauonia Bresnetenaci Veterano Pampo calia Lagentium Valteris Bereda Lagubalium Magnis Gabaglanda Vindolande Lincouigla Vinouia Lauaris Cactabactonion Eburacum Decuaria Deuouicia Dixiolugunduno Coganges Corie Lopocarium Iterum sunt
ciuitates in ipsa Britania que recto tramite de una parte in alia id est de oceano in oceano & sistunt iaci diuidut in tertia porcione ipsam Britaniam. Id est
Serduno Condecor Vindouala Onno Celumno Brocoliti Velurticon Esica Banna Vxelludamo Aualaua Maia Fanococidi Brocara Croucingo Stodoion Smetriadū Clindum Carbantiū Tadoriton Maporiton Alithacenon Loxa Locatreue Cambroianna Smetri Vxela Lucotion Corda Camulossesa Presidiū Brigomono Abisson Ebio Coritiotar Celouion Itucodon Maromago Duabsissis Venutio Trimuntiium Eburocaslum Bremenium Coccuueda Alauna Oleaclauis Euidensca Rumabo Iterum sunt ciuitates in ipsa Britania recto tramite una alteri conexa ubi et ipsa Britania
plus angustissima de occeano in occeano esse dinoscitur. Id est
Velunia Volitanio Pexa Begesse Colanica Medionemeton Subdobiadon Litana Cibra Credigone Iterum est ciuitas quae dicitur
Lano Maulion Demerosesa Cindocellum Cerma Veromo Matouion Vgrulentum Rauatoniu Iberran Pinnatis Tuessis Lodone Litinomago Deuoni Memanturum Decha Bograndium Vgueste Leuiodanum Poreo classis Leuioxaua Cermium Victorie Marcotaxon Tagea Voran Sunt autem in ipsa britania diversa loca, ex quibus aliꝗnta nominare uolumus. id est:
Maponi Mixa Panouius Minox Taba Manaui Segloes Dannoni Currunt autem per ipsam britaniam plurima
flumina, ex quibus aliquanta nominare volumus. id est:
Traxula Axium Mauia Sarna Tamaris Nauru Abona Isca Tamion Auentio Leuca Iuctius Leugosena Coantia Doruantium Anaua Bdora Nouitia Adron Certis nassa Intraum Antrum Tinea Liar Lenda Viuidin Durolaui Alauna Coguueusuron Durbis Lemana Nouia Raxtomessasenua Cunia Velox Finit autem ipsa britania. A facie orientis habet
insulam thile ultra
insulas dorcadas; a facie occidentis ex parte
provincie gallia et promunturium
pyrenei; a facie septemtrionalis
insula scotia; a facie meridiana
germania antiqua.
Chapter 32 Ireland Iterum in eodem oceano occidentali post ipsam magnam britaniam simulque et amplius longius ut diximus quam omnes insulae altra magna finita parte septemtrionali magis ex ipsa occidentali est insula maxima quae dicitur
ibernia; quae ut dictum est et
scotia appellatur. cuius post terga ut iam praemisimus nullo modo apud homines terra inuenitur. Per quam scotiam transeunt plurima flumina. Inter cetera que dicuntur. Id est
Et Sodi Sinam Cled Terdec Iterum in ipso oceano occidentali ponuntur diversae insulae. Ex quibus aliquantas nominare volumus. Id est
Corsula Mona Regaina Minerue Cunis Manna Botis Vinion Saponis Susura Birila Elauiana Sobrica Scetis Linnonsa Item ad aliam partem dicitur insula
Magantia Anas Cana Atina Elete Daroeda Esse Grandena Maiona Longis Eirimon Exosades ubi et gemmae nascuntur sicunt Legimus Item in ipso oceano sunt numero insule triginta tres quae et
dorcades appellantur. quae quamuis non existant omnes exculte attamen nomina illarum uolueramus
Christo nobis iuvante designare. sed quia peccatis emergentibus suete a diuersis gentibus ipsa dominatur patria et ut barbarus mos est vari vocationes earum reliquimus nomina designandum. ===== Chapter 33:
Brittanny ===== Sed iam expleta parte occidentali tamquam ad partem regredientes meridianam est insula post
Equitaniam que dicitur
Ollarione Ratis Corda Noetoia Iterum in ipso oceano dilatissimo, expleta, ut diximus, parte occidentali, id est regredientes a parte meridiana, procul a littore
Spanie est insula que dicitur Thyle, de qua et Mantuanus ait inter reliqua, tibi serviet
ultima Thyle. ==See also==