A Roman Mapsterpiece

Byline: Greg Bolt The Register-Guard

An old proverb says all roads lead to Rome. Now so does the road through cyberspace.

Two University of Oregon researchers have put the Eternal City on the digital map with an interactive Web site that lets people explore Rome through an 18th century mapping masterpiece while being able to instantly zoom in on the city as it is now.

As much a silicon guidebook as a map, the project blends cartography, history, architecture and urban design into a single tool that's as much fun for casual viewers as it is useful for scholars.

"This is far better than any map you could buy at a newsstand in Rome," said James Tice, a UO architecture professor who's leading the project.

It goes far beyond tourist maps that simply show a tangled web of streets dotted with little stars marking points …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: A Roman Mapsterpiece. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Register Guard (Eugene, OR). Publication date: July 21, 2005. Page number: d1. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group.

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