These illustrations together are part of a map (see larger image at the Library of Congress) titled Verschiedene propspecte der vornemsten stadten in Persien, published in Nurenberg in 1762, some 40 years after the death of its geographer Johann Baptist Homann (1663-1724). It feaatures 15 aerial views of cities in the Persian Empire in the early 1700s that are now in present-day Iran, Afghanistan, southern Russia, eastern Turkey, and the Caucasus region. Beneath each city portrait is a number or letter key indicating the most important points in each city, including city gates and walls, bodies of water, royal palaces, and markets. The cities depicted are (1) Astrakhan, Russia; (2) Derbent, Dagestan, Russia; (3) Tiflis, Georgia; (4) Kars, Turkey; (5) Erzurum, Turkey; (6) Baku, Azerbaijan; (7) Sultanieh (Zanjān Province), Iran; (8) Şamaxı (Shirvan Region), Azerbaijan; (9) Yerevan, Armenia; (10) Shiraz, Iran; (11) Kandahar, Afghanistan; (12) Ardabil, Iran; (13) Kashan (Isfahan Province), Iran; (14) Isfahan, Iran; and (15) Bandar Abass, Iran. Isfahan is identified as the capital of the kingdom of Persia and shown larger than the other cities. Shiraz is identified as the ancient city of Persepolis and the former capital of the Persian Empire. Kandahar is described as a “fortress and city on the Indian border of Persia.” Erzurum, located in present-day Turkey, is identified as “die Grantz-Stadt in Armenien” (the Armenian border town). (World Digital Library)

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