Guido of Pisa facts for kids
Guido of Pisa was an Italian geographer and mapmaker from the city of Pisa. He lived in the 1100s and passed away on July 9, 1169. He is known for updating a very old and important book about geography.
Contents
A Special Book: The Geographica
In 1119, Guido worked on a book called the Geographica. This book was like an encyclopedia of geography. It was first written way back in the 700s by someone known as the Anonymous of Ravenna. Guido updated and improved this ancient text.
What Was Inside Guido's Book?
Guido's version of the Geographica was very special. It included not only written descriptions of places but also maps. These maps showed Italy and the world as the Romans knew it. Imagine trying to draw a world map without satellites or modern tools!
Guido's book also followed the ideas of other famous geographers from the past. These included works by Strabo, Pomponius Mela, and Claudius Ptolemy. He built on their knowledge to create his own updated version.
A Unique Discovery in His Book
One interesting thing about Guido's Geographica is that it contains the only known copy of a poem called Carmen in victoriam Pisanorum. This poem is about a victory of the people from Pisa. It's like finding a hidden treasure within a history book!
Early Maps of Slovenia
Guido of Pisa also created a map of the Western Roman Empire. On this map, there is a special word: Carantano. Experts believe this is the very first time the area of Slovenia was ever shown or mentioned on a map. This makes Guido's work very important for the history of mapmaking and understanding old territories.
