Presenting a text which purports to show what the author originally wrote is considered an impossibility in biblical studies: it is much more difficult when confronted with so difficult a text as that of the Ravenna Cosmography, preserved in only three manuscripts. Even worse, the state of the text as we have it in these manuscripts is largely consistent. The same errors are found in all three versions: either all three derive from a very corrupt copy of the author’s original, or they do represent – reasonably faithfully – what he wrote.
The text as given in the introduction and used subsequently in Chapters 1 to 8 is perhaps as close as we can get to what the Cosmographer is likely to have written without indulging in wild conjecture. However, it may be considered useful to attempt to work out the forms of the names shown on his map source. The following reconstructed text does precisely that. It must be emphasised that this text never existed: this is what the Cosmographer might have written had he been a better copyist or his source been clearer.
(V ¶30) … Iterum sunt in ipso oceano [insule] que dicuntur Vectis Malaea Senos Tanatus.
(V ¶31) In oceano uero occidentali est insula que dicitur Britannia ubi olim gens Saxonum ueniens ab antiqua Saxonia cum principe suo nomine Hengist modo habitare uidetur. quamuis insulam ut diximus quidam Grecorum phylosophi quasi hemicosmin appellauerunt. nam nos tam magnam insulam neque in suprascripto mari magno neque in prefato oceano dilatissimo neque in quo prediximus sinu oceani legendam nullo modo repperimus. in qua Britannia plurimas fuisse ciuitates et castra legimus ex quibus aliquantas designare uolumus id est:
Glano; Fl. Tabo; Fl. Conio; Nemetostatio; Tamaris; Durocornouis; <Pilais>; Vernilis; Fl. Deruentione; Deuionisso Statio; Deurentio Statio; Duriarno; Vxelis; Verleua; Moriduni; Isca Dumnoniorum; Termino; Antiuesteum; Moridunum; Aquae Sulis; <Masona>; Alobergium.
Iterum iuxta suprascriptam ciuitatem Isca Dumnoniorum est ciuitas que dicitur
Moriduno; Alauna; Soruioduni; Fl. <Tedertis>; Lindinis; Cantia; Durocinto; Clauinio; Moriduno; Boluellaunio; Alauna; Colonias; Arnus; Anicetis; Meletio; Iuernio; Vindogladia; Nouiomago; Onna; Venta Belgarum; Armis; Ardaunio; Nouiomago Reginorum; Leucomago; Cunetione; Portu Abone; Venta Silurum; Lupania; Nemetobala; Albionno; Isca Augusta; Gobannio; Bremia; Alabum; Cicucio; Magnis; Branogenium; Eposessa; <Eposessa;> Magalonio; Gleuum Colonia; Argistillum; Vigora; Salinis; Corinium Dobunnorum; Calleua Atrebatum; Anderito; Nouia; Mutuanna; Trisantonis; Lemanis; Dubris; Durouerno Cantiacorum; Rutupis; Durobriuis; Londini; Tamese; Brunauis; Alauna; Viriconium Cornouiorum; Lauobrinta; Mediolano; Segontio; Canouio; Mediolano; Trisantonio; Deua Victrix; Veratino; Lutudarum; Deruentione; Salinis; Condate; Rate Corieltauuorum; Letoceto; Lactoduro; Verulamium; Londinium Augusta; Cesaromago; Camuloduno Colonia; Duroliponte; Durouiguto; Durobriuis; Venta Icenorum; Lindum Colonia; Bannouallum; Nauione; Aquis Arnemetiae; Ardotalia; Mamucio; Alicona; Camuloduno; Galaua; <Galaua;> Mediobogdo; Glannauenta; Itunocelo; Gabrosento; Alauna; Bibra; Maia; Olerica; Deruentione; Brauoniaco; Bremetenaco Veteranorum; Camboduno; Calcaria; Lagentium; Verteris; Voreda; Luguualium; Magnis; Camboglanna; Vindolanda; Longouicio; Vinouia; Lauatris; Cataractonio; Eburacum; Petuaria; Delgouicia; Dictio; Luguduno; Concancio; Coria <Lopocarium>.
Iterum sunt ciuitates in ipsa britania que recto tramite de una parte in aliam id est de oceano in oceano existunt ac diuidunt in tertia portione ipsam britaniam. Id est
Segeduno; Conderco; Vindobala; Onno; Cilurno; Brocolitia; Vercouicio; Esica; Banna; Vxelluduno; Aballaua; Maia; Fanococidii; Vindogara; Croucinco; <Stodoion>; Smertiacum; Clindum; Carbantoritum; Tadorito; Maporito; Alaunocelo; Locatrebe; <Locatrebe;> Camboglanna; Smerti; Vxela; Leucouio; Corda; Camulosessa; Presidium; Rerigonio; Abisso; Epidio; Coria Votadinorum; Gelouio; Itunoduno; Maromago; Dubabissis; Venutio; Trimontium; Eburocastellum; Bremenium; Coccuueda; Alauna; Horrea Classis; Habitanco; Flum. Abo.
Iterum sunt ciuitates in ipsa britania recto tramite una alteri connexe ubi et ipsa britania plus angustissima de occeano in occeano esse dinoscitur. id est:
Velunia; Volitanio; Dexa; Begisso; Colanica; Medionemeto; <Subdobiadon>; Litana; Ciura; <Credigone>.
Iterum est ciuitas que dicitur:
Lano; Maualio; Demerosessa; Cintocelum; Cerini; Veromago; Matouio; Trucculentum; Rauatonium; Iuernia; Pinnatis; Tuesis; Lodone; Litanomago; Deuoni; Nemanturum; Decha; Bocrandium; <Vgueste>; Leuiodunum; Horrea Classis; Leuioduno; Cermium; Victoria; Marcotaxo; Tamea; <Voran>.
Sunt autem in ipsa britania diuersa loca, ex quibus aliquanta nominare uolumus. id est:
Locomaponi; <Mixa>; Fl. Nouius; <Minox>; Taua; Manauii; Selgoues; Dumnonii.
Currunt autem peripsam britaniam plurima flumina, ex quibus aliquanta nominare uolumus. id est:
Trestula; Axium; Alauna; Sabrina; Tamaris; Nabarum; Abona; Isca; Tamio; Auentio; Leuca; Stuccia; Leuca; Segea; Cunetio; Deruentio; Anaua; Bodotria; Nouia; Adrona; Celis; Nassa; Antrum; <Antrum;> Tina; Tisa; Linda; Vidumanis; Duroleuo; Alauna; Coccuuda; Isurium; Dubris; Lemana; Nouia; Trisantona; <Essasenua>; Icena; Vxela.
Finitur autem ipsa britania.
A facie orientis habet insulam Thile ultra insulas Orcadas; a facie occidentis ex parte prouincie Galliam et promunturium Pyrenei; a facie septentrionali insulamScotiam; a facie meridiana Germaniam antiquam.
Iterum in eodem oceano occidentali post ipsam magnam Britaniam simulque et amplius longius ut diximus quam omnes insule altra magna finita parte septentrionali magis ex ipsa occidentali est insula maxima que dicitur Iuernia; que ut dictum est et Scotia appellatur. cuius post terga ut iam premisimus nullo modo apud homines terra inuenitur.
Per quam Scotiam transeunt plurima flumina. Inter cetera que dicuntur. Id est:
Fl. Belisama; Clota; <Terdec>.
Iterum in ipso oceano occidentali ponuntur diuerse insule. Ex quibus aliquantas nominare uolumus. Id est:
Insula Mona; Ricina; Minerue; Cunis; Mananna; Botis; <Vinion>; Saponis; Susurra; <Birila>; Fl. Anaua; Sobobriga; Scitis; Limnus.
Item ad aliam partem dicitur insula Magontia; Anas; Cana; Atina; Fl. Ite; Daruueda; Colissa; Grandina; Malaea; Longis; Ερημοσ; Esocades ubi et gemme nascuntur
Legimus uero in ipso oceano iam expleta parte occidentali tanquam ad partem regredientes meridianam que sunt numero insule triginta tres que et Orcades appellantur. que quamuis non existant omnes exculte attamen nomina illarum uolueramus christo nobis iuuante designare. sed quia peccatis emergentibus suete a diuersis gentibus ipsa dominatur patria et ut barbarus mos est uariis uocationibus easdem insulas appellant. sed est insula post aquitaniam que dicitur Obceorum. Reliquimus nomina designandum Ollarione. Ratis. Cordanoetoia…