geography in the context of ancient knowledge. The opening of this volume presents an introduction to geography as a science intertwined with philosophy. Strabo discusses the historical foundations of geography, referencing figures like Homer, Anaximander, and Eratosthenes, to establish the discipline's pedigree. He emphasizes the importance of geographical knowledge for societal betterment, governance, and understanding celestial phenomena. Additionally, he critiques earlier geographers for inconsistencies and inaccuracies, laying the groundwork for his own exploration of the inhabited world, recounting how changes in land and sea have shaped human experience and knowledge over time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)