S ⇒ I S
Strabo ̄n of Amaseia (ca 30 BCE – 24 CE)
Greek geographer and historian, born ca 64 BCE in Amaseia, Pontos.
Biography: Strabo ̄n’s ancestors on his mother’s side were intimates of Mithradate ̄s V
Euergete ̄s and M VI E, kings of Pontos, but during the Mithridatic
War they supported the Romans. Strabo ̄n was born and raised in Amaseia. As a boy he
had several renowned teachers: Aristode ̄mos of Nusa, a historian and Homeric scholar;
X S; and Turannion of Amisos, a grammarian. As an adult
Strabo ̄n visited and lived in the intellectual centers of Rome, Alexandria, Nusa and possibly
Smurna and Athens. Strabo ̄n traveled to Rome (44 and 29 BCE, and possibly other times)
where he established social relationships with Roman notables and Greek intellectuals. In
25 BCE he accompanied A G on his mission as Roman governor of Egypt.
Although reluctant to mention his visits to particular sites, he seems to have traveled widely,
eastward as far as the border between Pontos and Armenia; westward, Turrhenia; north-
ward, Sino ̄pe ̄ and Kuzikos; and southward to Sue ̄ne ̄ on the border of “Ethiopia.” Strabo ̄n
probably composed his geographical work between 18 and 23 CE and died in Rome or
perhaps Asia Minor.
Works: (1) Earlier historiographical work(s): Alexander’s Deeds, Historical Notes and a sequel
to P’ Histories in 43 books, surviving in very few fragments (FGrHist 91) (2) A 17-book
geographical work describing the entire oikoumene ̄: introductory remarks on geographical
theory and Strabo ̄n’s predecessors from H to P A (Books 1–2);
Iberia and the surrounding islands (Book 3); Gaul, the British Isle, Ireland, Thule (= the
Shetlands) and the Alps (Book 4); Italy, Sicily and the islands between Sicily and Libya
(Books 5–6); German tribes, Pannonia, Illyria, Macedon and Thrake ̄ (Book 7); Greece
(Books 8–10); Asia Minor (Books 11–14); India and Persia (Book 15); Mesopotamia, Syria,
Phoenicia, Judaea, the Persian Gulf and Arabia (Book 16); Egypt, “Ethiopia” and Libya
(Book 17).
Sources: Strabo ̄n based his geographical notions on the works and ideas of several
prominent predecessors. Regarding Homer as the founder of scientific geography, his
description of the world follows the Homeric notion of oikoumene ̄ as an island sur-
rounded by Ocean, and specific geographical and toponymic details in the epics (see
K M and Polubios). Strabo ̄n both challenged and followed particularly
E, H N, A E, and Poseido ̄nios
and adopted Polubios’ pragmatic considerations. He aimed at a task-oriented readership,
particularly politicians and generals who in his time were mostly Roman. Numerous other
sources of information – written works, reports of navigators, hearsay and visual media
( perhaps the lost map of A) – also feature in the Geography.
Geographical ideas: Strabo ̄n demanded philosophical qualities from the ideal geo-
grapher and himself adhered particularly to the Stoic school. He accepted the traditional
division of the oikoumene ̄ into three continents, Europe, Asia and Libya and the division
of the globe into climatic latitudinal zones: the torrid on both sides of the equator, two
temperate on both sides of the torrid and arctic zones at either pole. On this structural basis,
Strabo ̄n presented his awareness of the political and social changes apparent in the ethnic
structure of the inhabited world. The work should be considered Augustan in reflecting the
political ideas of the age and the official Roman image of the identity between the borders
STRABO ̄N OF AMASEIA