How to locate ancient cities and villages?

[WarBeer]

What are some good resources for ancient world maps? Maybe some that are compiled from literature and language, that might show suggested locales beyond the broad stroke?

[waldronate]

How ancient do you want? Different cultures have had wildly different notions of the term "map" through the ages.

[ChickPea]

Maybe The History of Cartography series might give you what you want. You can download PDFs for free.

https://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/HOC/index.html

[WarBeer]

I'm looking for names and locations. I don't care if the information is maps, coordinates or "round abouts". I'd like to create a fudged historical-fantasy world map with as ancient of locales as possible. (towns, villages, cities...even the folkloric ones) I know this is a vast spread, so any tips on how to go about this would be most appreciated. If I could get ancient/epic major locales for each continent and maybe a handful of towns in between...that would be pretty cool The middle east and Asia seem like they'll be accessible, but Norther Europe and the Americas might be more of a challenge. I'm fine with speculative places as well, I'd just like it to be based on our history. (real and mythic)

[waldronate]

You didn't specify a time period, but I recommend looking for Ptolemy's atlas ("ptolemaeic atlas" is a good search term and the first link under that search will get you to http://www.mapforum.com/ , which has a number of examples).

[johnvanvliet]

an example using Mars "as food for thought"

over time the "maps???" really changed

here is a set i made a bit back from modern to the 1700's
https://goo.gl/photos/NeoGiDq7z3KvvddS8



even the 1962's official USA Air Force has canals
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fvGxSGFtudsrkTrq7


the old maps of local areas on Earth have changed as much over time


PS.
these maps are textures for a 3d program , and that program ads the lat/long lines
these are in " simple cylindrical " projection with north on the top ( UP )

[WarBeer]

Some good stuff there! Much appreciated

@waldronate...I'm looking for sources to draw from that are as early as possible, but I plan on drawing from right up to probably the middle-ages. Some choices will be made totally on spelling and pronunciation. This is going to be a stylistic smearing of time. I'd like to have a world map with a broad regional brush and then zoom in on some of those. Probably all of Europe down through the middle east and round through North Africa at "medium zoom" and then pick a few areas within that scope for a more detail resolution.

[waldronate]

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_(Ptolemy) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Maior for information.

[WarBeer]

Thanks waldronate...the Ptolemy suggestion REALLY got things moving This guy really had a lot of good stuff! http://www.worldhistorymaps.info/maps.html