The Carpathian Basin in the Cosmography of the Unknown Ravennese

Absztrakt

Anonymous of Ravenna, an unknown cleric, described the whole world in his Cosmography. The exact time of the writing of the work is disputable. Joseph Schnetz assumed that Anonymous wrote his work in the early 8th century. In the opinion of Franz Staab, the Cosmography was compiled in the late 8th or early 9th century. The Cosmography consists of five books, of which the fourth book contains a detailed description of Europe. It presents a description of Central Europe and the Balkan Peninsula, including Saxony, Dacia, Pannonia, Illyria, Dalmatia, and Moesia. Anonymous of Ravenna listed the settlements and rivers in Dacia and Pannonia and mentioned the peoples living in these territories. The author also uses the name Patria Albis Ungani, which does not appear in other sources. This study presents the Carpathian Basin based on the description of Pannonia and Dacia and determines the geographical position of this Patria Albis Ungani. Finally, a hypothetical interpretation explains its name and origin.