Notes on Dura Europos Map

Since the discovery of Dura Europos parchment, several studies attempted to elucidate the nature and function of this remarkable artifact. The present contribution starts with an overview of the current research and then examines several controversial or unexplored issues. The Greek text was copied from a Latin source and one of the misspellings indicate the original was written in cursive. The itinerary was probably created by private initiative and it described a maritime route. The double name of the Danube is unlikely to contain a reference to the city of Histria. Finally, the reception of this text in Romanian historiography has been shaped by an influential study published more than 70 years ago, which unfortunately caused the proliferation of some fictitious mentions of settlements on the western coasts of the Black Sea.