Dynamic Cartographic Reconstruction of Historical Communication Systems: A Scalable Methodology

This work presents an original methodology of dynamic cartographic reconstruction designed for the analysis of historical communication systems in a longue durée perspective. The method is based on the systematic overlay of land and maritime routes from different historical periods within a single spatial framework in order to identify structural continuity, functional transformations, and long-term spatial corridors. Unlike traditional historical cartography, where maps serve an illustrative role, the proposed methodology treats cartographic overlay as a primary analytical operation. The approach is scalable and transferable, allowing its application to any region or continent and across different chronological frameworks, provided that sufficient historical and spatial data are available. The methodology is demonstrated through a case study of Northeastern Iberia (modern Catalonia), where Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman, Late Antique, Islamic, and Medieval routes are overlaid to reveal persistent communication axes connecting North Africa, Iberia, Gaul, and the Italian coast.