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Exploring along the Rome Meridian – Roger Boscovich and the First Modern Map of the Papal States

Roger Boscovich (1711-1787) was one of the most prominent Croatian scientists of the 18th century. In his diverse scientific work he tried his skills in cartography as well, creating the first map of the Papal States based on modern geodetic surveying principles. In order to determine the figure and size of the earth, in the period 1750-52, Roger Boscovich, in collaboration with the English Jesuit Christopher Maire, embarked on an expedition to conduct a survey along the meridian between Rome and Rimini. On this occasion, Boscovich collected a series of field data by applying the technique of triangulation, on the basis of which he, in cooperation with Maire, prepared a new map of the Papal States (Nuova carta geografica dello Stato Ecclesiastico). An account of the expedition was published in their work De litteraria expeditione per pontificiam ditionem (On the Scientific Expedition through the Papal States) (Rome, 1755). Maire’s and Boscovich's map was published as a separate sheet map within their above work. This work was subsequently translated into French (Paris, 1770), and the map of the Papal Sates appended to the book. Because of its scientific basis, the map became the most influential and most widely reproduced map of the area, giving Boscovich a prominent place as one of the most important cartographers of the Papal States. In this paper we report on the new results obtained in an authentic research of the original Boscovich's maps of the Papal States as well as of later editions in which Roger Boscovich was named as the author. By comparing the original maps with the subsequent maps modeled on these Boscovich's maps, we evaluate Boscovich's role in the development of cartographic science of the second half of the 18th century.

Roger, Boscovich, Papal States, history of cartography, 18 centuy

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