This is an interesting 1867 map of the ancient World by William Hughes. The map covers Europe, Asia and Africa during the time of the Ancient Roman Empire. It depicts the world of antiquity from the Atlantic Ocean to China and from the Indian Ocean north as far as Norway. It includes all of Europe with most of Asia and Africa. The map also notes the boundary of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great. Founded by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BCE, the First Persian Empire or the Achaemenid Empire was, at its height, the biggest Empire the world has ever seen.

In Africa, the author notes various cities from Ptolemy's Geographica, including Rapta (Rhaptus), Axum(Auxume), Garama, and others. The Libyan Desert is noted, and the continent itself is identified as 'Libya or Africa.' In the Far East a number of classical locales are noted, including the island of Taprobana (Celon). The map indicates the region of Sarmatia Europea separated from Sarmatia Asiatica by the River Tanais (River Don) in Russia. The map also shows Scythia Intra Imaum and Scythia Extra Imaum, the region of Scythia as it was known during the time of the Roman Empire, divided by Mount Imaum, denoting the whole of Northern Asia.

The Roman Empire was established in 27 BC after Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, the grandnephew and heir of Julius Caesar was awarded the honorific title of Augustus. During the time of the empire, Roman cities flourished. Trade spread as far as India, Russia, China and Southeast Asia. However, the sheer size of the empire and its success also contributed to its downfall. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in AD 476, when Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the German Odovacer. The eastern Roman Empire, evolving into the Byzantine Empire, survived until the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453.

This map was created by William Hughes, printed by J. Bien and engraved by G.E. Sherman, for issued as plate 2 in Sheldon and Company's An Atlas of Classical Geography.