Imperii Romani Distracta Pars Orientalis, by R. Bonne, c.1770

This finely engraved map of the Eastern Roman Empire is by Rigobert Bonne, one of the most respected French hydrographers and cartographers of the eighteenth century. Issued around 1770 for an historical atlas, the plate presents the eastern provinces of the Roman world with striking clarity. The geography extends from Italy and the Balkans across Greece, Asia Minor, the Levant, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus, the Caspian region, and down into Egypt and Arabia. Coastlines, rivers, deserts, and ancient place names are rendered with the precision characteristic of Bonne’s scientific approach to cartography.

At the centre of the composition sits the Mare Nigrum (Black Sea), with Constantinople shown prominently. The map clearly marks ancient divisions, historic cities, and Roman-era toponyms, offering a valuable visual record for anyone studying the eastern provinces as understood by Enlightenment scholars. The lower left title cartouche reads Imperii Romani Distracta, Pars Orientalis, a R. Bonne, Primario Hydrographo Navali, identifying Bonne in his role as Royal Hydrographer to France.

Bonne’s work is admired for its clarity and proportional accuracy. His maps were part of the shift away from baroque decorative flourishes toward cleaner, data-driven representations. This sheet is an excellent example of that transition, capturing both historical imagination and scientific precision.

Paper
Laid paper with a strong plate impression and wide margins

Condition
Excellent. Light age toning, faint handling marks, clean paper, no notable defects

Provenance
From a French Enlightenment historical atlas published circa 1770 to 1780

Scholarly note
Rigobert Bonne (1727–1794) produced some of the most influential maps of the late eighteenth century while serving as Royal Hydrographer. His historical series helped standardise the cartographic presentation of classical and ancient geography. Plates from this series are referenced in specialist catalogues documenting the evolution of historically themed maps in France during the Enlightenment.