THE WORLD VIEW OF DIONYSIUS PERIEGETES
The author analyzes the world view of Dionysius Periegetes (2nd century AD) as expressed in his didactic poem Orbis terrae descriptio, which includes a schematic description of the sling-shaped oikumene surrounded by the ocean and divided into three continents (Libya, Europe and Asia). Dionysius traditionally compares the shapes of the particular continents, countries and areas with geometrical ﬁgures, a fact which has a mnemonistic effect known from rhetorical school practice. At the same time, Dionysius correlates detailed descriptions of certain areas with the reference to an imagined traveler’s (i.e. hodological) point of view. This way of space perception and orientation through routes with landmarks, geographical names and tribes goes back to the archaic literature, periples and periegesis. Thus, in his description of the world Dionysius combines protocartographic and periegetic elements with no intention to describe a certain geographic map.