Originally published in 1948, this book provides a detailed study of the contribution of ancient societies to the development of geography, both in terms of theory and practical discovery. At the time of publication, this was an area that had been largely neglected by scholars, partly as a result of its ambiguous position between various academic disciplines. The text concentrates mainly on the perspectives of Greece and Rome, but other historical periods and regions are given attention, including ancient Egypt and China. Numerous illustrative figures and detailed notes are also contained. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the development of historical geography and ancient history.