Old Map of Ancient Britain in 1834 by SDUK - Silures, Dobunni, Parisi

Published in 1834 by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, this fascinating map looks back nearly two thousand years to chart Britain as it stood before and during the Roman conquest. Rather than showing the towns and counties of Victorian England, it divides the island into the Roman Empire's four administrative provinces, Maxima Caesariensis in the north, Flavia Caesariensis across the midlands, Britannia Prima in the south, and Britannia Secunda covering Wales, while also tracing the network of Roman roads that bound the province together.

What makes the map especially striking is its detailed record of the Iron Age tribes who occupied Britain before Rome's arrival. The Silures of south Wales and their neighbours the Dobunni and Ordovices are marked along the western side of the map, while the Parisi appear in what is now Yorkshire, the Trinovantes across Essex and Suffolk, and the Regni along the south coast around modern Sussex. Further tribal territories, including the Brigantes of the north and the Iceni of East Anglia, whose queen Boudica famously rose against Roman rule, are also recorded, giving a rare and detailed snapshot of a Britain that existed long before the counties and towns familiar today.

This map of Ancient Britain makes an unusual and thought-provoking piece of wall art for a study, office or living room, and its historical depth sets it apart from more conventional county maps. It is a memorable birthday gift for anyone with an interest in Roman or ancient history, a genuinely original leaving gift for a colleague moving on to new adventures, and an unusual Christmas gift for a history buff who already has every conventional atlas. Supplied unframed on high-quality paper, it offers a distinctive talking point wherever it is hung.