Allison Sermarini's Maps of the Ancient World

Home > Resources > Maps of the Ancient World

Home > Asia

Ancient Asia

14 maps, last one added on Jul 30, 2019

Ancient Anatolia

30 maps, last one added on Sep 26, 2019

Ancient Armenia

4 maps, last one added on Dec 23, 2013

Ancient Syria

4 maps, last one added on Feb 10, 2014

Ancient Persia

8 maps, last one added on Sep 14, 2014

Ancient Phoenicia

4 maps, last one added on Jan 02, 2014

Ancient Judaea and Palestine

11 maps, last one added on May 13, 2019

Ancient Afganistan to India

2 maps, last one added on Oct 22, 2013

Far East

8 maps, last one added on Mar 26, 2019

9 atlases on 1 page(s)

Random maps - Asia

Kingdom of Lydia at the time of King Croesus316 viewsThe edge of the brown area is the border of Lydia at the middle of the 6th century BC, at the time of King Croesus. The red line was the 7th century BC border, roughly from 690 to 546 BC.

Map - China Qin Empire 210 BC647 viewsAs part of his unification of China in 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang divided his empire into thirty six commanderies, each subdivided into an number of counties. The significance of the administrative reforms was its introduction of a uniformly centralised system of imperial control. The system was followed by the Han Dynasty, though with a certain degree of compromise. Thereafter, the system became the norm for later dynasties and eventually evolved into the present administrative structure of Mainland China. See: Political divisions of China.

The location of the Yellow River and commandery seats follows Tan Qixiang (ed.), Zhongguo lishi ditu (中国历史地图集), 1982. Note that the Yellow River is considerably to the north of its present flow.

The coloured territories show the approximate extent of Qin political control at the death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BC. At that time more commanderies were added to the original thirty six, and these are also shown on the map.

Map - Macedonia, Thracia, Illyria, Moesia et Dacia657 views

Map - Towns of Phoenicia734 views

Map - The Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent c. 620 AD496 views

Map - Empire of Tigranes431 viewsEmpire of Tigranes

Map - Ancient South West Asia859 views

Map - Judea under Jonathan Apphus (the diplomat) 161 - 143 B.C.564 viewsGreen - area ruled by Judea in 160 B.C.
Purple - area conquered by Jonathan Apphus

Last additions - Asia

Cities of Lydia c. 50 AD8 viewsCities of Lydia c. 50 ADSep 26, 2019

Map - Georgian States Colchis and Iberia, 600 - 150 B.C.96 viewsMap - Georgian States Colchis and Iberia, 600 - 150 B.C.

Kolchis (Colchis) was an ancient kingdom and region on the coast of the Black Sea, centered in present-day western Georgia. The original Middle Bronze Age inhabitants were probably the ancestors of the present Swan, Mingrelian and Laz people. It was described as a land rich with gold, iron, timber and honey that exported its resources mostly to Greece. The Greeks invaded Kolchis in the 6th to the 5th centuries B.C. colonized and in 302 B.C. It became part of the newly founded Kingdom of Iberia. Kolchis was later divided into several principalities, until their annexation around 101 B.C. by Mithridates VI of Pontus. After that it was involved in wars with the Roman Empire. In 66 B.C. they were defeated by Pompey and became part of the Roman Empire. Christianity began in the 1st century AD. spread by Kolchis and in the 4th century it became the official religion. At that time it formed an important part of medieval Georgia, along with the Kingdom of Iberia.

In Greek mythology, Kolchis was the location of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts. The myth may have originated from the ancient local practice of using moss to separate gold dust from river bed mud.

Christianity began in the 1st century AD. spread by Kolchis and in the 4th century it became the official religion. At that time it formed an important part of medieval Georgia, along with the Kingdom of Iberia.Jul 30, 2019

Maps - Plan of Jerusalem Ancient and Plan of Modern [1849] Jerusalem88 viewsMaps - Plan of Jerusalem Ancient and Plan of Modern [1849] Jerusalem
McPhun, W.R., McPhun's New Polyglot Bible. (Glasgow, 1849).May 13, 2019

Map - Plan of the Temple of Jerusalem88 viewsPlan of the Temple of Jerusalem
2 Drawings - The Temple with its Courts, and The Temple on an Enlarged Scale
McPhun, W.R., McPhun's New Polyglot Bible. (Glasgow, 1849).May 13, 2019

Map - China, Qin dynasty 221 - 206 B.C.78 viewsMap of Qin Dynasty and its administrative divisions, 221 - 206 B.C.

The Qin dynasty was the first dynasty of Imperial China, lasting from 221 to 206 B.C. Named for its heartland in Qin state (modern Gansu and Shaanxi), the dynasty was founded by Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of Qin. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the Legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the fourth century B.C., during the Warring States period. In the mid and late third century B.C., the Qin state carried out a series of swift conquests, first ending the powerless Zhou dynasty, and eventually conquering the other six of the Seven Warring States. Its 15 years was the shortest major dynasty in Chinese history, consisting of only two emperors, but inaugurated an imperial system that lasted from 221 B.C., with interruption and adaptation, until 1912 A.D. Mar 26, 2019

Map - The Great Jin, the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, as of 1142 A.D.70 viewsMap - The Great Jin, the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, as of 1142 A.D.

The Jin dynasty, the Great Jin, ruled north eastern China 1115 to 1234. Its name is sometimes written as Kin, Jurchen Jin or Jinn in English to differentiate it from an earlier Chinese dynasty with the same name. Its rulers were of Jurchen descent. After vanquishing the Liao, the Jin launched an over hundred-year struggle against the Song dynasty, in southern China. Over the course of their rule, the Jurchens of Jin quickly adapted to Chinese customs, and even fortified the Great Wall against the rising Mongols. The Mongols invaded the Jin under Genghis Khan in 1211 and inflicted catastrophic defeats. Although the Jin seemed to suffer a never-ending wave of defeats, revolts, defections, and coups, they proved tenacious. The Jin finally succumbed to Mongol conquest 23 years later in 1234.Mar 25, 2019

Map China showing Eastern Wei, Western Wei and Liang, c. 535�557.67 viewsMap China showing Eastern Wei, Western Wei and Liang, c. 535�557.Mar 25, 2019

Map - Xin Dynasty 8 - 23 A.D.157 viewsXin Dynasty 8 - 23 A.D.

Wang Mang was a Han Dynasty official and consort kin who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty, ruling 9�23 A.D. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty (before Xin) and Eastern Han Dynasty (after Xin). Some historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a usurper, while others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the classics, his efforts ended in chaos. In October 23 A.D., the capital Chang'an was attacked and the imperial palace ransacked. Wang Mang died in the battle. The Han dynasty was reestablished in 25 A.D. when Liu Xiu (Emperor Guangwu) took the throne. Mar 25, 2019