Description

Significant Edition: This edition, printed in Brescia during the first decade of printing there, is the first to include scientific diagrams and the famous Macrobian world map. It is preferred over the earlier 1472 Venice edition, which lacked these critical elements.

Provenance: The copy is from the library of Sir John Hayford Thorold of Syston Park, likely originally acquired by his father, Sir John Thorold. The library’s contents were dispersed in 1884 and 1923, and the house was demolished in 1925.

Macrobius and His Influence: Macrobius, writing in the early fifth century, was an encyclopaedist who preserved and transmitted classical philosophy and science. His “Commentary on the Dream of Scipio” was a foundational text for medieval science and scholasticism. The astronomical and geographical knowledge in Macrobius’s work influenced explorers like Columbus.

Macrobius’s World Map: The map features a massive antipodal southern continent and depicts a globe split into Europe and the Antipodes, surrounded by ocean. It is one of the earliest maps of the world and the first printed map to show ocean currents. The map’s depiction of the southern continent influenced pre-discovery geography until Renaissance exploration provided new information.

Literature and Significance: The Macrobian world view has been extensively studied, with scholars like Carlos Sanz and Beaglehole examining its impact on exploration and geography. The map’s balance and symmetry reflect medieval scientific concepts and had a lasting influence on geographic understanding.