Romani Imperii Imago (Map of the Roman Empire)

The map displays the Mediterranean basin and surrounding territories, rendered with hand-applied watercolor washes in muted tones of blue, green, and beige. A central, ornate cartouche titles the work 'Romani Imperii Imago', flanked by smaller circular emblem-like frames in the upper corners. In the lower-left, a large text block provides historical context, while a secondary red-bordered cartouche sits near the bottom center. The lower-right corner contains a rectangular inset filled with a grid of circular representations of Roman coinage, showcasing profiles of emperors and various inscriptions.

This map comes from the 'Parergon', a collection of historical maps by Ortelius that sought to reconstruct the geography of the ancient world to facilitate the humanist study of classical history and literature. It illustrates the Renaissance obsession with antiquarianism and the reconstruction of imperial power through cartographic record.