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Strabo....
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Strabo, in a 16th Century
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Strabo ("squinty") was a term employed by the
Romans for anyone whose
eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius
Strabo." A native of Sicily so clear sighted that he could see things at
great distance as if they were nearby was also called "Strabo."
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The most significant figure by this name, however, was
Strabo (born 63 BC or 64 BC, died ca. 24 AD), a Greek historian, geographer
and philosopher. Nowadays, Strabo is mostly famous for his Geographia, a
17-book work containing history and descriptions of people and places all
over the world as known to him. |
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Strabo was born in a wealthy family from Amaseia
(current-day Amasya, Turkey) in Pontus, which became part of the
Roman
empire just around the time of his birth. He studied under various
geographers and philosophers, first in his own area, later in
Rome. He was
philosophically a stoicist, politically a proponent of Roman imperialism.
Later he made extensive travels to among others Egypt and Ethiopia. |
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19th century
reconstruction of World map according to Strabo (18 A.D.)
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It is not known when he wrote his Geographia though
remarks in it place the finished version in the reign of Emperor Tiberius;
some place its first drafts around 7 AD, others around 18 AD. The death of
Juba, king of Maurousia is mentioned, an event which took place in 23
AD.Strabo's Historia is lost: Strabo quotes it himself, and other
classical authors mention that it existed.
Several different dates have been proposed for Strabo's death, most of
them placing it shortly after 23 AD. |
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