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A Rare Italian Atlas of the Many Islands of the Aegean. Extra Illustrated with a Folding Map of Greece.

Beautiful atlas and travel book about Greece, the Aegean, and Western Anatolia, filled with maps of the region's many islands.

The atlas was published in 1688 by the Soliani Heirs publishing firm in Modena, Italy, and the maps are engraved by Francesco Piacenza. The first maps in the book are regional, covering Greece, Morea, and the Aegean. The rest of the maps are detailed island maps and are accompanied by lengthy descriptions concerning the geography, history, and peoples of the islands.

In the 17th century, the Aegean Sea was largely under the dominion of the Ottoman Empire, which had seen substantial growth and expansion since the previous century. Notably, the pivotal Siege of Candia (1648–1669), one of the longest sieges in history, marked a significant point in this period, seeing the Ottomans capture the Venetian colony of Crete, which lies south of the Aegean Sea. Venetian colonies in the Aegean Sea, including those on the islands of Tinos and Kythira, felt the pressure from Ottoman expansion.

There was an evident rivalry between these Italian maritime republics, especially Venice, and the Ottoman Empire; however, the balance of power was firmly tipped in favor of the latter. The Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 (about a decade after this book was published), which marked the end of the Great Turkish War, further solidified Ottoman control over much of the Aegean region, pushing the Italian maritime republics to the periphery and heralding a period of Ottoman hegemony.

The atlas appears to be extra-illustrated with a map of Greece and the Aegean entitled Arcipelago Con la Morea Sino a Costantinopoli. Other collations we have located appear to call for 62 or 63 maps (it is unclear if the one calling for 62 maps is correct and complete). Digitized examples of the book do not appear to have this map either.

List of Maps

1. Arcipelago Con la Morea Sino a Costantinopoli [Folding]
2. [Morea]
3. [Aegum Mare]
4. Candia
5. Scarpanto
6. Carchi E Limonia
7. Simie
8. Piscopia
9. Nisare
10. Caloiero
11. Lango
12. Agathonissi Eleo Fermaco
13. Samo
14. Psara
15. Crusia, Lipso, Tragia, Fornoli
16. Nicaria
17. Mandria
18. Pathmus
19. Leria
20. Calamo
21. Stampalia
22. Zinara e Levita
23. Amorgo
24. Isole Leleadi
25. Nio
26. Policandro e Sicandro
27. Namphio
28. Santorini
29. Milo
30. Siphano
31. Thera
32. Zea
33. Serphino
34. Fermenia
35. Cythnus
36. Andro
37. Tine
38. Sdile
39. Micone
40. Isole Cidalie
41. Nicsia
42. Paris
43. Sirna
44. Scio
45. Metelin
46. Tenedo
47. Maure Oviaro Forino Martese
48. Stalimine
49. Lembro
50. Samandrachi
51. Monte Santo e Tasso
52. S. Strati
53. Isole Sphegie
54. Pelagnisi
55. Isole Gregarie
56. Isole Gildrome
57. Schiro
58. Cicynnethus
59. Negroponte
60. Engia
61. Isole Solari
62. Cerigo
63. Rhodi
64. Cipro [Folding]