Life in the Roman world of Nero and StPaul . ound the sun, had beenmooted, but certainly had very little currency. Norwas speculation confined to such astronomical con-clusions. In the region of physical geography rationalattempts were made to account for various phenomena,su(ih as the existence of deltas or the risings of theNile, or the appearance of sea-shells high on dry , in dealing with the Black Sea, has his theoriesof the elevation or subsidence of land. He alsosuggests previous volcanic conditions of certain districtswhich had been quiescent from before the memory ortraditi
Life in the Roman world of Nero and StPaul . ound the sun, had beenmooted, but certainly had very little currency. Norwas speculation confined to such astronomical con-clusions. In the region of physical geography rationalattempts were made to account for various phenomena,su(ih as the existence of deltas or the risings of theNile, or the appearance of sea-shells high on dry , in dealing with the Black Sea, has his theoriesof the elevation or subsidence of land. He alsosuggests previous volcanic conditions of certain districtswhich had been quiescent from before the memory ortradition of the inhabitants. Sound methods of discovering latitude and longi-tude were not yet in use, and therefore a map of theworld according to ideas current in the first centurywould present a strange aspect to us. There is mucherror in the placing of towns or districts upon theirparallels; and coasts or mountain ranges, particularly,of course, on the outskirts of the empire or in the lessfamiliar lands beyond its bounds, are perhaps made to. 399 400 LIFE IN THE ROMAN WORLD chap. run north instead of north-west, or east instead ofsouth-east. It follows that measurements of distances,especially across the wider seas, were often very in-accurate, although within and about the Mediter-ranean there was so much traffic and such closeobservation of the stars that the errors were graduallyreduced. The mariner, when he did not follow thecoast and guide his course by familiar landmarks,steered by the stars, but of these he had a veryintimate knowledge, to which he joined a close ob-servation of the prevailing direction of the winds atthe various seasons. There was a well-ordered systemof lighthouses, and charts and mariners guides werenot wanting. In the winter months navigation overlong distances was regularly suspended, and shipswaited in port for the spring. So far as acquaintance w^ith the world was con-cerned, we have sufficient evidence that the traderknew his way very well down th
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