Plattegrond van Civitavecchia, ca. 1693-1696 1693 - 1696

This is an anonymous map of Civitavecchia, made around 1693 to 1696. Civitavecchia, a port city northwest of Rome, carried significant geopolitical weight in the Mediterranean. In the early modern period, maps were more than just geographic tools; they were instruments of power. They visually asserted control and knowledge of territories. The rigid lines and geometric shapes used here reflect a desire to impose order and authority on both land and sea. Consider what it meant to map a place, to define its boundaries, during a time of constant territorial disputes and naval competition. Maps often served to embolden national identity while also justifying colonial expansion. This map, while seemingly objective, participates in a larger history of claiming space and shaping perceptions of the world. It is a powerful reminder of how images can reinforce dominance.