Ptolemy, Claudius

Claudius Ptolemy (100-170) was a most famous astronomer and geographer whose influence continued until the sixteenth century, One of his best known innovations was the idea of recording geographical locations using latitude and longitude.

It is generally accepted that the Maltese archipelago was once fully connected and considerably extended southwards. Ptolemy writing in the 2nd century AD records this southern extension of the islands as being enjoyed by human inhabitants and its existence orally transmitted into historical times. Ptolemy gives coordinates for the latitude of the temple of Hercules ten minutes (10’) south of the present landmass or about 11 miles^(a) .

^(a) Malta: Echoes of Plato’s Island (The Prehistoric Society of Malta, 2001) p.23