Famous travelers of ancient times. Great travelers: list, discoveries and interesting facts Message on the topic of ancient travelers

1. FAMOUS TRAVELERS OF ANCIENT BPEMEH

Hanno (505) - Herodotus (484) - Pytheas (340) - Eudoxus (146) - Strabo (63)

Hanno of Carthage - Fortunate (Canary) Islands, Evening Horn, Southern Horn, Rio de Oro Bay - Herodotus visits Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Phenicia, Arabia, Babylonia, Persia, Media, Colchis, Caspian Sea, Scythia and Thrace - Pytheas explores the shores of Iberia and Celtis, the English Channel, the island of Albion, the Orcadian (Orkney) Islands, the land of Thule - Nearchus travels around the Asian coast from the Indus to the Persian Gulf - Eudoxus gets acquainted with the western coast of Africa - Strabo travels through Inner Asia, Egypt, Greece and Italy

The first traveler mentioned in historical sources was Hanno, sent by the Carthaginian 1 (numbers - see note at the end) Senate to colonize new territories on the west coast of Africa. The account of this expedition was written in Punic 2 and translated into Greek; it is known as “Hanno’s Sea Voyage Around the World.” What era did this explorer live in? Historians have different opinions. But the most reliable version is considered to be the one according to which his visit to the African shores dates back to 505 BC 3 .

Map of the Argonauts' voyage

The Southern Horn was, without a doubt, the final point reached by the Punic expedition. Some historians claim that the Carthaginian fleet did not go further than Cape Bojador, located two degrees north of the tropics, but the first point of view seems to us more likely.

Having reached the Southern Horn, Hanno began to lack food supplies. Then he turned north and returned to Carthage, where, by his order, a marble slab with a description of the journey “around the world” was placed in the temple of Baal Moloch.

After the Carthaginian navigator, the most famous of the ancient travelers in historical times was the Greek scientist Herodotus, nicknamed "the father of history." For our purpose we will separate the traveler from the historian and follow him to the countries he visited.

Greek galley. 500 BC

Herodotus born around 484 BC 9 in the Asia Minor city of Halicarnassus. He came from a wealthy and noble family with extensive trade connections, which may have contributed to the development of the instincts of a traveler and explorer awakened in the boy.

At that time, there was no consensus regarding the shape of the Earth. The Pythagorean school had already begun to spread the doctrine that the Earth was spherical. But Herodotus did not take any part in these disputes that worried the scientists of his time. In his early youth, he left his homeland with the intention of carefully studying distant countries, about which very scanty and contradictory information was received.

In 464, at the age of twenty, he left Halicarnassus. Apparently, Herodotus first went to Egypt, where he visited the cities of Memphis, Heliopolis and Thebes. During the trip, he managed to obtain a lot of valuable information about the Nile floods. In his notes, he gives various opinions regarding the sources of this great river, which the Egyptians revered as a deity.

“When the Nile floods,” says Herodotus, “nothing is visible except cities; they appear to be built on top of water and resemble the islands of the Aegean Sea.”

Herodotus talks about the religious rites of the Egyptians, how they make sacrifices to their gods and how they solemnly celebrate holidays in honor of the goddess Isis in the city of Busiris, the ruins of which are still visible today. Herodotus also reports how the Egyptians revered wild and domestic animals, considering them sacred, and gave them funeral honors. With the precision of a true naturalist, he describes the Nile crocodile and its habits; describes the methods by which crocodiles are caught. We find out what other animals there are and what the Egyptian hippopotamus, ibis bird, and various snakes are like.

Herodotus depicts the home life of the Egyptians, their customs, games, and talks about the art of embalming the dead, which the Egyptians mastered to perfection. Next, he reports what structures were erected under Pharaoh Cheops: a labyrinth built near Lake Merisa, the remains of which were discovered in 1799; Lake Meris, created by human hands, and two pyramids that rose above the surface of its waters; Herodotus speaks with surprise about the temples erected in Memphis, about the famous colossus made of solid stone, on the transportation of which two thousand people worked for three years from Elephantine 10 to Sais.

Having carefully studied Egypt, Herodotus headed to other countries of Libya, that is, Africa, but the young traveler did not even imagine that Africa extended far to the south, beyond the Tropic of Cancer; he believed that the Phoenicians could go around this continent and return to Egypt through the Strait of Gibraltar 11.

Egyptian ship. 1600 BC

Listing the peoples living in Libya, Herodotus mentions the shepherd tribes wandering along the coast of Africa, and also names the Ammonians, who live in the interior of the country, in places abounding in wild beasts. The Ammonians built famous temple Zeus of Ammon, the ruins of which were discovered in the northeast of the Libyan Desert, 500 kilometers from the city of Cairo 12. He also describes in detail the customs and morals of the Libyans and reports what animals are found in this country: snakes of terrible size, lions, elephants, horned donkeys (probably rhinoceroses), baboon monkeys - “headless animals with eyes on their chests”, foxes , hyenas, porcupines, wild sheep, panthers, etc.

According to Herodotus, Libya is inhabited by two peoples: Libyans and Ethiopians. But did he really travel through this country? Historians doubt this. Most likely, he wrote down many of the details from the words of the Egyptians. But there is no doubt that he really sailed to the city of Tyre, in Phenicia, since here he gives quite accurate descriptions. In addition, Herodotus collected information from which he compiled short description Syria and Palestine.

Following this, Herodotus descends to the south - to Arabia, a country he calls Asian Ethiopia, that is, to that part of Southern Arabia, which he considers the last inhabited land. The Arabs living on the Arabian Peninsula, according to him, are strictly religious people. In their country valuable plants grow in abundance, from which frankincense and myrrh are obtained. The traveler provides interesting details about how fragrant substances are extracted from these plants.

Then we meet Herodotus in the countries he vaguely calls either Assyria or Babylonia. He begins the story of these countries with a careful description of Babylon, in which the kings lived since the destruction ancient capital Nineveh. The ruins of Nineveh have survived to this day, in the form of mounds scattered along both banks of the Euphrates, at a distance of 78 kilometers southeast of Baghdad. The large, fast and deep Euphrates River then divided the city of Nineveh into two parts. In one there was a fortified royal palace, in the other - the temple of Zeus. Next, Herodotus speaks of the two queens of Babylon - Semiramis and Nitocris; then he goes on to describe crafts and agriculture, telling how wheat, barley, millet, sesame, grapes, fig trees and palm trees are cultivated in this country.

Having studied Babylon, Herodotus went to Persia and, since the purpose of his journey was to collect accurate information about the long Greco-Persian wars, he visited the places where these wars took place in order to obtain on the spot all the details he needed. Herodotus begins this part of his history with a description of the customs of the Persians. They, unlike other peoples, did not give their gods a human form, did not erect either temples or altars in their honor, content with performing religious rites on the tops of the mountains.

Next, Herodotus speaks about the life and morals of the Persians. They have an aversion to meat, a love of fruit, and a passion for wine; they show interest in foreign customs, love pleasure, value military valor, take raising children seriously, respect the right to life of everyone, even a slave; they hate lies and debts, and they despise lepers. The disease of leprosy serves as proof for them that “the unfortunate person has sinned against the Sun.”

The marriage was accompanied by nationwide publicity

Herodotus's India, according to Vivien de Saint-Martin 13 , is limited to the countries irrigated by the five tributaries of the present Panjnad, and to the territory of Afghanistan. The young traveler headed there, leaving the Persian kingdom 14. The Indians, in his opinion, are the most numerous of the known peoples. Some of them lead a sedentary lifestyle, others are constantly nomadic. The tribes living in the east of this country, as Herodotus claims, not only kill the sick and old people, but allegedly even eat them. The tribes living in the north are distinguished by their courage and skill in crafts. Their land is rich in golden sand.

Herodotus believes that India is the last inhabited country in the East. It maintains the same fertile climate at all times of the year as in Greece, located on the opposite end of the earth.

Then the indefatigable Herodotus went to Media, 15 where he compiled the history of the Medes, the first people to overthrow the yoke of the Assyrians. The Medes founded the huge city of Ecbatana (Hamadan), which was surrounded by seven rows of walls. Having crossed the mountains that separated Media from Colchis, the Greek traveler entered the country famous for the exploits of Jason 16 and studied its customs and customs with his characteristic conscientiousness.

Athenian merchant ship. 500 BC

Herodotus, apparently, was well acquainted with the contours of the Caspian Sea. He says that "this sea is in itself, and has no communication with another." The Caspian Sea, according to him, is limited in the west by the Caucasus Mountains, and in the east by a vast plain inhabited by the Massagetae, who probably belonged to the Scythian tribe. The Massagetae worshiped the sun and sacrificed horses to it. Herodotus also speaks of the great river Arak, which flows into the Caspian Sea.

Then the traveler ends up in Scythia. Scythians - according to Herodotus' definition - are various tribes inhabiting the vast space between the Danube and Don, that is, a significant part of European Russia. Herodotus calls the tribe of “princely Scythians” who occupied the banks of the Tanais (Don) river the most numerous and powerful. In addition, Herodotus mentions the tribes of Scythian nomads and Scythian farmers.

Although Herodotus lists various Scythian tribes, it is not known whether he personally visited the countries located north of Pontus Euxine 17. He describes in detail the customs of these tribes and comes into sincere delight from the Pontus Euxine - this “hospitable sea”. Herodotus determines the dimensions of the Black Sea, Bosphorus, Propontis 18 and Sea of ​​Azov, and his definitions are almost correct. He lists big rivers, flowing into the Black Sea: Ister, or Danube; Borysthenes, or Dnieper; Tanais, or Don.

The traveler conveys many myths about the origin of the Scythian people; in these myths, a large role is given to Hercules. He ends his description of Scythia with a story about the marriages of Scythians with warlike women from the Amazon tribe, which, in his opinion, can explain the Scythian custom that a girl cannot get married until she kills an enemy.

From Scythia, Herodotus arrived in Thrace. There he learned about the Hets - the most courageous people who inhabited this country 19. He then traveled to Greece, where he wanted to collect the missing information for his history. He visited areas where the main events of the Greco-Persian wars took place, including the Passage of Thermopylae, the Field of Marathon and Plataea. Then he returned to Asia Minor and traveled around its coast, exploring the numerous colonies founded there by the Greeks.

Returning at the age of 28 to his homeland, Halicarnassus, famous traveler took part in the popular movement against the tyrant Ligdamis and contributed to his overthrow. In 444 BC, Herodotus attended the Panathenaic festivals and read excerpts from the description of his travels there, arousing general enthusiasm. At the end of his life, he retired to Italy, to Turium, where he died in 426 BC, leaving behind him the fame of a famous traveler and an even more famous historian.

After Herodotus, we will step a century and a half later, mentioning a doctor by name Ctesias, a contemporary of Xenophon 20. Ctesias wrote an account of his journey through India, although there is no reliable information that he actually completed it.

In chronological order, let us now move on to Pytheas from Massilia - to a traveler, geographer and astronomer, one of the most learned men of his time. In 340 BC, Pytheas ventured to sail the Atlantic Ocean on a single ship. Instead of following the coast of Africa to the south, as his Carthaginian predecessors usually did, Pytheas went north, where he began exploring the coast of the Iberian Peninsula 21 and the coast of the Celtic country, right up to the granite Cape Finisterre. Then Pytheas entered the English Channel and landed on the island of Albion 22. He met the inhabitants of this island, who, according to him, were distinguished by good nature, honesty, moderation and ingenuity. They traded in tin, for which traders from distant countries came here.

Continuing north, Pytheas passed the Orkney Islands, located at the northern tip of Scotland, and rose to a latitude where “in summer the night did not exceed two hours.” After a six-day voyage across the North Sea, Pytheas reached the land known since then as Ultima Thule. Apparently, this was the Scandinavian peninsula. But Pytheas was no longer able to move further north. “Further,” he says, “there was no sea, no land, no air.”

Pytheas was forced to turn back, but his journey did not end there: he sailed east and arrived at the mouth of the Rhine, where the Ostions lived, and even further the Germans. From there he sailed to the mouth of a large river, which he calls Thais (probably the Elbe), and then sailed back to Massilia and returned to his hometown a year after he left.

The remarkable traveler Pytheas was no less a remarkable scientist; He was the first to prove the influence of the Moon on the ebb and flow of the sea and noticed that the North Star does not occupy a point in celestial space that is located above the earth's pole, which was subsequently confirmed by science.

A few years after Pytheas, around 326 BC, another Greek traveler became famous for his research - Nearchs islands of Crete. As commander of the fleet of Alexander the Great, he was ordered to travel around the entire coast of Asia from the Indus to the Euphrates.

Nearchus sailors scare the whales

The idea of ​​such an expedition was prompted by the need to establish communications between India and Egypt, in which Alexander was extremely interested, being at that time with his army 800 miles from the coast, in the upper reaches of the Indus. The commander equipped a fleet for Nearchus, consisting of thirty-three double-decker galleys and a large number of transport ships, which accommodated two thousand people. While Nearchus sailed with his fleet down the Indus, Alexander's army followed him on both banks. Having reached the Indian Ocean four months later, Nearchus sailed along the coast that now forms the border of Balochistan.

Nearchus set out to sea on the second of October, without waiting for the winter monsoon, which could have been favorable for his voyage. Therefore, in forty days of travel, Nearchus barely managed to swim 80 miles to the west. His first sites were made in Stura and Koreistis; these names do not correspond to any of the current villages located in those places. Then he sailed to the island of Krokala, which lies near the modern Karantian Bay. The fleet, destroyed by storms, took refuge in a natural harbor, which Nearchus was forced to strengthen “to protect against the attack of savages.”

Twenty-four days later, the naval commander of Alexander the Great again raised the sails and set off to sea. Violent storms forced him to make frequent stops at various places on the coast and defend himself from attacks by the Arabites, whom Eastern historians characterized as “a barbarian people who wear long hair, grow beards and look like fauns or bears.”

After many adventures and skirmishes with coastal tribes, Nearchus landed on the land of the Orites, which in modern geography bears the name: Cape Moran. “In this area,” notes Nearchus, describing his journey, “the sun at noon illuminated all objects vertically, and they did not cast shadows.” But Nearchus is apparently mistaken, since at this time of year the daylight was in the southern hemisphere, on the Tropic of Capricorn, and not in the northern hemisphere; in addition, the ships of Nearchus always sailed at a distance of several degrees from the Tropic of Cancer; therefore, even in summer in these areas, the sun at noon could not illuminate objects vertically.

When the northeast monsoon set in, sailing continued under favorable conditions. Nearchus followed the coast of the country of ichthyophages, that is, “people who eat fish” - a rather pitiful tribe who, due to a lack of pasture, were forced to feed their sheep with seafood. Here Nearchus's fleet began to lack food supplies. Having rounded Cape Posmi, Nearchus took a native helmsman into his galley. Driven by coastal winds, Nearchus' ships successfully moved forward. The coast became less barren. There were trees here and there. Nearchus landed at a city of ichthyophages, the name of which he does not indicate, and, suddenly attacking the inhabitants, forcibly seized from them the supplies that his fleet so needed.

Then the ships arrived in Kanazida, in other words, the city of Churbar. The ruins of this city can still be seen near the bay of the same name. By that time, the Macedonians were already running out of bread. It was in vain that Nearchus stopped in Kanata, in Troy and in Dagazir - he was unable to obtain anything from these poor peoples. The sailors had no more meat or bread, and yet they did not dare to eat turtles, which abound in these countries.

Almost at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, the fleet encountered a large herd of whales. The frightened sailors wanted to turn the galleys back, but Nearchus boldly went forward on his ship, towards the sea monsters, which they managed to disperse.

Having reached Carmania 23, the ships diverted to the northwest. The banks here were fertile; Everywhere there were grain fields, vast pastures, and fruit trees. Nearchus dropped anchor at Badis, present-day Iask. Then, having rounded Cape Maseta or Mussendon, the navigators found themselves at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, to which Nearchus, like the Arab geographers, gives the unusual name of the Red Sea.

In the harbor of Harmosia (Ormuz), Nearchus learned that Alexander's army was five days' journey away. Having landed on the shore, he hastened to join the conqueror. Alexander, having not received any news about his fleet for twenty-one weeks, no longer hoped to see it. One can imagine the commander’s joy when Nearchus, emaciated beyond recognition, appeared before him safe and sound! To celebrate his return, Alexander ordered gymnastic games to be held and abundant sacrifices to be made to the gods. Nearchus then went again to Harmosia, where he left his fleet to sail from there to the mouth of the Euphrates.

Sailing along the Persian Gulf, the Macedonian fleet landed on many islands, and then, rounding Cape Bestion, sailed to the island of Keisho, on the border of Carmania. Then Persia began. The ships of Nearchus, following along the Persian coast, stopped at different places to stock up on the bread that Alexander sent here.

After several days of sailing, Nearchus arrived at the mouth of the Endiana River, then reached the river flowing from the large, fish-infested lake Kataderbis, and finally dropped anchor near the Babylonian village of Degela, not far from the mouth of the Euphrates, thus sailing along the entire Persian coast. Here Nearchus again united with the army of Alexander the Great, who generously rewarded him and appointed him commander of his entire fleet. Alexander also wanted to explore the Arab coast of the Persian Gulf, right up to the Red Sea, and establish a sea route from Persia and Babylon to Egypt, but death prevented him from carrying out this plan.

Nearchus compiled a description of his journey, which, unfortunately, has not survived. A detailed account of his voyages is contained in the book of the Greek historian Flavius ​​Arrian 24 “History of India”, which has come down to us in fragments.

Nearchus is believed to have been killed at the Battle of Ipsus. He left behind the glory of a skilled navigator, and his journey constitutes an important event in the history of navigation.

Now we should also mention the bold enterprise of the Greek geographer Eudoxa, who lived in the 2nd century BC. Having visited Egypt and the shores of India, this brave traveler had the intention of circumnavigating Africa, which was actually accomplished only sixteen centuries later by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama.

Eudox hired big ship and two longboats and set off across the unfamiliar waters of the Atlantic Ocean. How far did he take his ships? It's difficult to determine. Be that as it may, having met the natives, whom he mistook for Ethiopians, he returned to Mauritania, and from there crossed over to Iberia and began preparations for a new extensive journey around Africa. Was this journey made? Doubtful. It must be said that this Eudoxus, an undoubtedly brave man, does not deserve much trust. In any case, scientists do not take him seriously.

Roman galley. 110 BC

Among the ancient travelers it remains for us to mention the names of Caesar and Strabo. Julius Caesar 26, born in 100 BC, was primarily a conqueror and did not set out to explore new countries. Let us only recall that in 58 BC he began to conquer Gaul and ten years later he brought his legions to the shores of Great Britain, which was inhabited by peoples of Germanic origin.

As for , born in Cappadocia 27 around 63 AD, he is known more as a geographer than a traveler. However, he traveled through Asia Minor, Egypt, Greece, Italy and lived for a long time in Rome, where he died in last years reign of Tiberius. Strabo left a Geography divided into seventeen books, most of which have survived to this day. This work, together with the works of Ptolemy, constitutes the most important monument of ancient Greek geography.

NOTES

1Carthage was founded by the Phoenicians around 850 BC on the northern coast of Africa, in the Gulf of Tunis.

2 The Romans called the Carthaginians Punes; hence the name of the language - Punic.

3 The exact date of the expedition Hanno impossible to install. Modern scholars date it to the 5th or 6th century BC. The description of this voyage has come to us in the form of an “adventure novel,” in which reliable facts are intertwined with fictional ones. However geographical description the western coast of Africa, the story of steppe fires within the country leaves no doubt about the authenticity of the journey, which was subsequently overgrown with various fables.

Hanno was the first navigator to visit West Coast Africa. He sailed along this coast from the Strait of Gibraltar to the south for about 4,500 kilometers. Nineteen centuries later, it took Portuguese navigators fifty years to explore the coastline that Hanno had bypassed.

4 Pillars of Hercules- two mountains on the European and African shores of the Strait of Gibraltar, allegedly erected by the mythical hero Hercules. According to the ancient Greeks, the Pillars of Hercules were the western edge of the known world.

5 Probably the Senegal River.

6 Cymbals- an ancient musical instrument in the form of copper cymbals. Tambourine- a percussion musical instrument resembling a tambourine.

7 Southern Horn- now Sherborough Bay in the state of Sierra Leone (formerly an English colony), located on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea.

8 We must assume that these were not gorillas, but chimpanzees.

9 Biographical information about Herodotus is extremely scarce. The exact years of his life are not known; he is believed to have been born around 484 BC and died in 424 or 426 BC. Herodotus is the author of the first large historical work that has come down to us - the famous “History”, in which he included rich geographical material collected during his long travels. It is impossible to say exactly which countries Herodotus visited during his travels. There is no doubt that he visited Egypt and the northern coast of the Black Sea. In the east it probably reached Babylon. Herodotus also speaks of a journey to India, but this description has no historical basis.

10 Island Elephantine (Ivory) is located on the Nile River, at the first rapids, on the border of Egypt and Sudan.

11 Here the author is referring to the story Herodotus heard in Egypt about the journey of Phoenician sailors around Africa, undertaken by order of the Egyptian pharaoh Necho around 600 BC. This enterprise has no equal in the history of geographical discoveries, so we will give the entire short story of Herodotus: “Libya, it turns out, is surrounded by water all around, with the exception of the part where it borders on Asia; the first to prove it, as far as we know, egyptian pharaoh Nehao. Having suspended the digging of a canal from the Nile to the Arabian Gulf [Red Sea], he sent the Phoenicians on ships to the sea with orders to sail back through the Pillars of Hercules [Strait of Gibraltar] until they entered the North [Mediterranean] Sea and arrived in Egypt.

The Phoenicians sailed from the Erythraean [Red] Sea and entered the Southern Sea [Indian Ocean]. When autumn came, they landed on the shore and, no matter where they landed in Libya, sowed the land and waited for the harvest; After harvesting the grain, they sailed on. So two years passed in the voyage, and only in the third year they rounded the Pillars of Hercules and returned to Egypt.

They also said, which I don’t believe, but someone else might believe, that while sailing around Libya, the Phoenicians had the sun on the right side. This is how Libya became known for the first time.”

12 Ammon(Siwa) is an oasis in the Libyan desert.

13 Vivienne de Saint-Martin(1802–1897) - French geographer, author of the famous work “Essay on General Geography” and other works.

14 Herodotus did not travel through Afghanistan and India; He collected information about these countries in Babylon.

15 Mussel was located south of the Caspian Sea. Under the Persian king Cyrus (c. 558–529 BC) it became part of Persia. Main city- Ecbatana.

16 Jason- V Greek mythology leader of the Argonauts' campaign for the Golden Fleece. According to one version of the myth, he died under the wreckage of the Argo ship; according to another, he committed suicide. The myth of the Argonauts, who undertook a voyage from Greece to Colchis (the eastern coast of the Black Sea), is a reflection of the history of early Greek colonization (VIII-VII centuries BC).

17 The ancient Greeks originally called the Black Sea Pont Aksinsky(inhospitable) due to strong and frequent storms. Subsequently, when the Greeks colonized the Black Sea shores, the sea was renamed Pont Euxine (hospitable).

18 Propontis(literally: “lying in front of Pontus”) – Sea of ​​Marmara.

19 Thrace- a country located in the north of the Balkan Peninsula; its shores were washed by the Black Sea from the east, and the Aegean from the south.

20 Xenophon- Greek historian of the late 5th - first half of the 4th century BC, author of “Greek History”, “Anabasis” and other works.

21 Iberia – ancient name Spain.

22 Albion- the ancient name of the island of Great Britain, which translated means “White Island” (the name was given by Pytheas because of the chalk cliffs towering over the English Channel).

23 Karmania– region in the south of Iran; according to the ancients, it was inhabited by nomads who fed on fish (ichthyophages).

24 Arrian Flavius(c. 95–175 AD) was a Roman-period Greek writer, historian and geographer. The main works: “Anabasis of Alexander” (History of the campaigns of Alexander the Great) and “History of India”.

25 Mauritania- an area on the northwestern coast of Africa. At the beginning of the 1st century AD it became a Roman province.

26 Caesar Julius(full name Gaius Julius Caesar) - Roman Emperor,

27 Cappadocia- the name of an area located in the southeastern part of the Asia Minor peninsula.

They are always attracted by the horizon line, an endless strip stretching into the distance. Their faithful friends are ribbons of roads leading to the unknown, mysterious and mysterious. They were the first to push the boundaries, opening new lands and the amazing beauty of metrics to humanity. These people are the most famous travelers.

Travelers who made the most important discoveries

Christopher Columbus. He was a red-haired guy with a strong build and slightly above average height. Since childhood, he was smart, practical, and very proud. He had a dream - to go on a journey and find a treasure of gold coins. And he made his dreams come true. He found a treasure - a huge continent - America.

Three quarters of Columbus's life was spent sailing. He traveled on Portuguese ships and lived in Lisbon and the British Isles. Stopping briefly in a foreign land, he constantly drew geographical maps and made new travel plans.

It still remains a mystery how he managed to draw up a plan for the shortest route from Europe to India. His calculations were based on the discoveries of the 15th century and the fact that the Earth is spherical.

Having gathered 90 volunteers in 1492-1493, on three ships he set off on a journey through Atlantic Ocean. He became the discoverer of the central part of the Bahamas archipelago, the Greater and Lesser Antilles. He is responsible for the discovery of the north- east coast Cubes.

The second expedition, which lasted from 1493 to 1496, already consisted of 17 ships and 2.5 thousand people. He discovered the islands of Dominica, the Lesser Antilles, and the island of Puerto Rico. After 40 days of sailing, arriving in Castile, he notified the government of the opening of a new route to Asia.

After 3 years, having collected 6 ships, he led an expedition across the Atlantic. In Haiti, because of an envious denunciation of his successes, Columbus was arrested and shackled. He received release, but kept the shackles all his life, as a symbol of betrayal.

He was the discoverer of America. Until the end of his life, he mistakenly believed that it was connected to Asia by a thin isthmus. He believed that the sea route to India was opened by him, although history later showed the fallacy of his delusions.

Vasco da Gama. He was lucky enough to live during the era of great geographical discoveries. Perhaps that is why he dreamed of traveling and dreamed of becoming a discoverer of uncharted lands.

He was a nobleman. The family was not the most noble, but had ancient roots. As a young man, he became interested in mathematics, navigation and astronomy. Since childhood, he hated secular society, playing the piano and French, which noble nobles tried to “show off” with.

Determination and organizational skills made Vasco da Gama close to Emperor Charles VIII, who, having decided to create an expedition to open a sea route to India, appointed him in charge.

Four new ships, specially built for the journey, were placed at his disposal. Vasco da Gama was equipped with the latest navigational instruments and provided naval artillery.

A year later, the expedition reached the shores of India, stopping in the first city of Calicut (Kozhikode). Despite the cold reception of the natives and even military clashes, the goal was achieved. Vasco da Gama became the discoverer of the sea route to India.

They discovered the mountainous and desert regions of Asia, made bold expeditions to the Far North, they “wrote” history, glorifying the Russian land.

Great Russian travelers

Miklouho-Maclay was born into a noble family, but experienced poverty at the age of 11 when his father died. He was always a rebel. At the age of 15, he was arrested for participating in a student demonstration and imprisoned for three days in Peter and Paul Fortress. For participating in student unrest, he was expelled from the gymnasium and further prohibited from entering any higher institution. Having left for Germany, he received his education there.

The famous naturalist Ernst Haeckel became interested in the 19-year-old boy, inviting him to his expedition to study marine fauna.

In 1869, returning to St. Petersburg, he enlisted the support of the Russian Geographical Society and went to study New Guinea. It took a year to prepare the expedition. He sailed to the shore of the Coral Sea, and when he set foot on land he had no idea that his descendants would name this place after him.

Having lived for more than a year in New Guinea, he not only discovered new lands, but also taught the natives to grow corn, pumpkins, beans and fruit trees. He studied the life of the natives on the island of Java, the Louisiades and Solomon Islands. He spent 3 years in Australia.

He died at 42. Doctors diagnosed him with severe deterioration of the body.

Afanasy Nikitin is the first Russian traveler to visit India and Persia. Returning back, he visited Somalia, Turkey and Muscat. His notes “Walking across the Three Seas” became valuable historical and literary aids. He described medieval India simply and truthfully in his notes.

Coming from a peasant family, he proved that even a poor person can travel to India. The main thing is to set a goal.

The world has not revealed all its secrets to man. There are still people who dream of lifting the veil of unknown worlds.

Famous modern travelers

He is 60, but his soul is still full of thirst for new adventures. At the age of 58, he climbed to the top of Everest, conquered 7 greatest peaks together with the climbers. He is fearless, purposeful, open to the unknown. His name is Fedor Konyukhov.

And may the era of great discoveries be long behind us. It doesn't matter that the Earth has been photographed thousands of times from space. May all places be open to travelers and discoverers globe. He, like a child, believes that there is still a lot of unknown in the world.

He has 40 expeditions and ascents to his credit. He crossed seas and oceans, was at the North and South Poles, made 4 circumnavigation of the world, crossed the Atlantic 15 times. Of these, one time was on a rowing boat. He made most of his travels alone.

Everyone knows his name. His programs had a television audience of millions. He is the great man who gave this world the unusual beauty of nature, hidden from view in the bottomless depths. Fedor Konyukhov visited different places on our planet, including the hottest place in Russia, which is located in Kalmykia. .

The most famous traveler in the world

Jacques-Yves Cousteau is a famous French oceanographer, traveler and “pioneer” of underwater filming and research, inventor of scuba gear and author of many books.

He chose undersea world, giving all its secrets and beauty to people. His first scuba gear was a gas mask and a motorcycle inner tube. The first attempt to go underwater in this device almost cost him his life. But he invented, playing with life to find a way to get to the underwater kingdom.

Even during the war, he continued his experiments and research into the underwater world. He decided to dedicate his first film to sunken ships. And the Germans, who occupied France, allowed him to engage in research and filming.

He dreamed of a ship that would be equipped with modern technology for filming and observation. He was helped by a complete stranger who gave Cousteau a small military minesweeper. After renovation work, it became the famous ship "Calypso".

The ship's crew included researchers: a journalist, a navigator, a geologist, and a volcanologist. His wife was his assistant and companion. Later, 2 of his sons took part in all expeditions.

Cousteau is recognized as the best specialist in underwater research. He received an offer to head the famous Oceanographic Museum in Monaco. He not only studied the underwater world, but was also involved in activities to protect the marine and ocean habitat.
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Humanity owes these brave men not only interesting information, but also scientific discoveries

And in the times that we call “prehistoric,” there were people who could not sit still, who rushed there, beyond the horizon. They set off into complete uncertainty, having no worthy Vehicle and ways to protect themselves, thinking not about themselves, but about the great goal that they set and ultimately achieved.

Hanno - 505 BC

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Carthaginian (resident of the state of Carthage, located in the territory modern Tunisia – approx. edit.) Hanno considered to be the very first of all known travelers. The Carthaginian Senate equipped 60 galleys, each with 50 oarsmen. This fleet had to undertake a risky expedition - to reach the western shores of Africa and colonize the land. The expedition was led by Hanno. In total, thirty thousand people set off on the journey - today they would be called migrants: their mission was to develop new lands.

Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean was incredibly dangerous back then. However, Hanno and his comrades, having overcome all obstacles along the way, reached the shores West Africa. On one of the islands (apparently belonging to the group Canary Islands) travelers discovered many gorillas and mistook them for “wild people”. Hoping to establish contact, the Carthaginians captured three “savages,” but soon had to be killed due to the aggressiveness of the gorillas.

On other islands, the Carthaginians entered into friendly and trade alliances with local residents. Having reached the Southern Horn, the travelers realized that they risked being left without supplies - they were running out. Then Hanno decided to return home. In Carthage, in the Temple of Moloch, in memory of this journey, a large marble slab was erected, on which a description of the great journey was carved.

Herodotus (484 - 425 BC)

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Ancient Greek scientist - historian and geographer, Herodotus became famous as the “father of history”, as well as one of the first travelers. He compiled the first more or less exact description the real world for his contemporaries - based on his own observations and on the stories of other people.

To obtain the information necessary to write his most famous work - “History” - Herodotus traveled to all the countries available at that time. He visited Greece and Egypt, Persia and Babylonia, Asia Minor and Southern Italy, on islands Mediterranean Sea and in Crimea.

Herodotus began traveling at about 20 years old, and his goal was precisely science - he sought to collect as much information as possible about the events taking place, about the peoples who inhabited different lands. His first journey resulted in a major study about those peoples who were not yet known to the Greeks at that time. Herodotus wrote in his works about the Greco-Persian wars, about the morals and customs of the Persians.

He was the first to describe Scythia and the peoples inhabiting this country, gave Full description the Istr (Danube) river, which flows across Europe, and the Borysthenes (Dnieper). In the works of Herodotus, much attention is paid to Scythian myths - for example, about Hercules. He also writes about the Amazons - female warriors.

Later, Herodotus visited North-East Africa, Cyrene, and was the first in history to describe these territories. Herodotus collected very interesting information about Egypt, and modern scientists for the most part confirm the correctness of his descriptions.

Pytheas (340 BC)

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Tragedy Pythea is that his stories about distant countries aroused distrust and ridicule among his contemporaries. But his courage deserves respect - he dared to embark on a dangerous voyage across the Atlantic on a single ship. Pytheas's expedition was heading to the North - they hoped to find tin and amber in uncharted lands. Such an order was given to Pytheas by his fellow merchants from the city of Massilia (Marseille). Pytheas did an excellent job with the task, making several important geographical discoveries.

For example, moving north, he noticed that the further to northern latitudes, the longer the day became. This is how the relationship between the length of day and night and geographic latitude was established. In addition, he was the first to guess that the ebb and flow of the tides are associated with the gravity of the Moon. Pytheas discovered that the North Star cannot serve as an accurate guide to the north. He was able to make all these and other discoveries thanks to his travels.

Eudoxus (IIcentury BC)

Greek geographer Eudox began his travels by visiting Egypt and India.

Having hired a large ship and two longboats, Eudoxus sailed across the waters of the Atlantic. It is unknown how far he got. Scientists are wary of putting too much faith in his evidence because there is no reliable evidence. However, it is known for sure that by order of Pharaoh Ptolemy Eudoxus visited India, sailing there accompanied by an Indian guide. This was followed by a second trip to India - Eudoxus was sent there by the queen Cleopatra, so that he would bring Indian incense.

Deciding to go around Africa, the brave traveler almost carried out his dizzying plan, but died at the very end of the journey.

Strabo (64/63 BC - 23/24 AD)

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Ancient Greek traveler and geographer Strabo was known for his comprehensive education. He left behind an amazing work - “Geography” in 17 volumes, which contained the most detailed and varied information about many countries and peoples. The chapters about the Trans-Caspian lands, about Asian Scythia, about the Caucasus are relevant and interesting today.

Strabo traveled a lot. He visited Egypt several times and compiled detailed description Alexandria, described Egyptian pyramids, talked a lot about the wonders of the world.

Strabo lived a long life and died in Rome. His “Geography” is the most important and interesting monument of ancient Greek science.

History of humanity and travel. Herodotus - the first great traveler and father modern history. Arab and European travelers of the Middle Ages...

From Masterweb

26.06.2018 14:00

The exploration of our planet took place over several centuries, and many people distinguished themselves, whose names and merits are captured in many historical books. All great travelers sought to escape from routine existence and look at the world with different eyes. A thirst for new knowledge, curiosity, a desire to expand known horizons - all these qualities were inherent in each of them.

About history and travelers

The history of mankind should be perceived as the history of travel. It's impossible to understand what it would be like modern world, if previous civilizations had not sent travelers to the borders of a then unknown world. The thirst for travel is embedded in human DNA, because he has always strived to explore something and expand his own world.

The first people began colonizing the world 100,000 years ago, moving from Africa to Asia and Europe. In the Middle Ages and modern times, travelers went to unknown countries in search of gold, glory, new lands, or they simply ran away from their miserable existence and poverty. However, all great travelers possessed an impulse of power of the same nature, the endless fuel of explorers - curiosity. It only takes something that a person does not know or does not understand to create an alluring and irresistible force that cannot be resisted. The following article describes the exploits of the great travelers and their discoveries, which had a huge impact on the development of humanity. The following individuals are noted:

• Herodotus;
• Ibn Battuta;
• Marco Polo;
• Christopher Columbus;
• Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano;
• James Cook;
• Charles Darwin;
• explorers of Africa and Antarctica;
• famous Russian travelers.

Father of modern history - Herodotus

The famous Greek philosopher, Herodotus, lived in the 5th century BC. His first journey was exile, as Herodotus was accused of plotting against the tyrant of Halicarnassus, Lygdamis. During this exile, the great traveler travels throughout the Middle East. He describes all his discoveries and acquired knowledge in 9 books, thanks to which Herodotus received the nickname of the father of history. It is interesting to note that another famous historian of ancient Greece, Plutarch, gave Herodotus the nickname “father of lies.” In his books, Herodotus talks about distant countries and the cultures of many peoples, information about which the philosopher collected during his travels.

The stories of the great traveler are filled with political, philosophical and geographical reflections. They also contain sexual stories, myths and crime stories. Herodotus's style of presentation is semi-artistic. Modern historians consider the work of Herodotus to be a paradigm of curiosity. The historical and geographical knowledge brought by Herodotus had a great influence on the development of Greek culture. Geographic map, which Herodotus compiled, and which included the limits from the Danube to the Nile, and from Iberia to India, for the next 1000 years determined the horizons of the then known world. Let us note that the scientist was very concerned that the knowledge he had acquired would not be lost by humanity over time, and therefore he outlined it in detail in his 9 books.

Ibn Battuta (1302 - 1368)

Like every Muslim, twenty-year-old Battuta began his pilgrimage from the city of Tangier to Mecca on the back of a donkey. He could not even imagine that he would return to his hometown only 25 years later, with enormous wealth and a whole harem of wives after having traveled most of the world. If you ask yourself which great travelers first explored the Muslim world, then you can safely name Ibn Battuta. He visited all countries, from the kingdom of Granada in Spain to China, and from Caucasus Mountains to the city of Timbuktu, which is located in the Republic of Mali. This great traveler traveled 120,000 kilometers, met more than 40 sultans and emperors, served as ambassador to various sultans, and survived a number of disasters. Ibn Battuta always traveled with a large retinue, and in every new place he was treated as an important person.

Modern historians note that in the first half of the 14th century, when Ibn Battuta made his travels, the Islamic world was at the apogee of its existence, which allowed the traveler to quickly and easily move across many territories.

Just like Marco Polo, Battuta did not write his book ("Travels"), but dictated his stories to the Granadan polymath Ibn Khuzai. This work reflects Battuta's thirst for pleasure in life, which includes stories of sex and blood.

Marco Polo (1254 - 1324)

Marco Polo is one of the important names of great travelers. The book of the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, which tells in detail about his travels, became extremely popular 2 centuries before the invention of printing. Marco Polo traveled the world for 24 years. Upon his return to his homeland, he was imprisoned during the war between the Mediterranean trading powers of Genoa and Venice. In prison, he dictated stories of his travels to one of his unfortunate neighbors. As a result, in 1298 a book appeared called “Description of the World, Dictated by Marco.”

Marco Polo, together with his father and uncle, who were famous merchants of jewelry and silks, set off at the age of 17 on a journey to the Far East. During his trip the great geographical traveler visited such forgotten places as the island of Hormuz, the Gobi Desert, the coasts of Vietnam and India. Marco knew 5 foreign languages ​​and was the representative of the great Mongol Khan Kublai Khan for 17 years.

Note that Marco Polo was not the first European to visit Asia, however, he was the first to compile a detailed geographical description of it. His book is a mixture of truth and fiction, which is why many historians question most of its facts. On his deathbed, one priest asked Marco Polo, who was 70 years old, to admit his lies, to which the great traveler replied that he had not told half of what he saw.

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506)

Speaking about the travelers of the great age of discovery, first of all we should mention Christopher Columbus, who shifted the human economy to the west and marked the beginning of a new era in history. Historians note that when Columbus sailed to discover the New World, the word “gold” rather than the word “land” was most often found in his logbook entries.

Christopher Columbus, with information provided by Marco Polo, believed he could reach Far East, full of gold and riches, sailing west. As a result, on August 2, 1492, he sailed from Spain on three ships and headed west. The journey across the Atlantic Ocean lasted longer than 2 months, and on October 11, Rodrigo Triana from the ship La Pinta saw land. This day radically changed the lives of Europeans and Americans.

Like many great travelers of the Age of Discovery, Columbus died in 1506 in poverty in the city of Valladolid. Columbus did not know that he had discovered a new continent, but thought that he managed to sail to India through the west.

Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano (16th century)

One of the amazing routes of the great travelers of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries is the route of Ferdinand Magellan, when he was able to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through a narrow strait, which Magellan named after its calm waters.

In the 16th century, there was a serious race for dominance of the seas and oceans between Portugal and Spain; historians compare this race with the race for space exploration between the USA and the USSR. Since Portugal dominated the African coast, Spain sought ways to reach the Spice Islands (modern Indonesia) and India via the west. Ferdinand Magellan became just the navigator who had to find a new route to the East through the West.

In September 1519, 5 ships with a total of 237 sailors set sail for the West, led by Ferdinand Magellan. Three years later, only one ship returned with 18 sailors on board, led by Juan Sebastian Elcano. This was the first time a man sailed around the entire globe. The great traveler Ferdinand Magellan himself died in the Philippine Islands.

James Cook (1728-1779)

This great British explorer is considered the most famous explorer Pacific Ocean. He left his parents' farm and became a great captain in the Royal Navy. He made three big travel from 1768 to 1779, which filled in many of the blank spots on maps of the Pacific. All of Cook's voyages were conducted by Britain to achieve a range of geographical and botanical objectives in Oceania, Australia and New Zealand.

Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)

Few people know that the story of great travelers and their discoveries must include the name of Charles Darwin, who at the age of 22 set off on a voyage on the brigantine Beagle in 1831 to explore the east coast. South America. On this journey, Charles Darwin sailed around the world in 5 years, collecting a wealth of information about the flora and fauna of our planet, which turned out to be key to Darwin's theory of the evolution of living organisms.

After this long journey, the scientist locked himself in his house in Kent in order to carefully study the collected material and draw the right conclusions. In 1859, that is, 23 years after his trip around the world, Charles Darwin published his work “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection,” the main thesis of which was that it is not the strongest living organisms that survive, but the most adapted to environmental conditions. .

Exploring Africa

The great travelers who distinguished themselves in the exploration of Africa are mainly British. One of the famous explorers of the black continent is Dr. Livingston, who distinguished himself in research central regions Africa. Livingstone is credited with the discovery of Victoria Falls. This man is a national hero of Great Britain.

Other famous Britons who distinguished themselves in the exploration of Africa are John Speke and Richard Francis Burton, who made numerous trips to the African continent in the second half of the 19th century. Their most famous journey is the search for the sources of the Nile.

Antarctica exploration

The exploration of the icy southern continent, Antarctica, marked a new stage in human history. The British Robert Scott and the Norwegian Roald Amundsen distinguished themselves in conquering the South Pole. Scott was an explorer and officer in the British Royal Navy, he led 2 expeditions to Antarctica, and on January 17, 1912, he and five members of his crew reached the south pole, however, the Norwegian Amundsen was several weeks ahead of him. Robert Scott's entire expedition died by freezing to death in the icy desert of Antarctica. Amundsen, in turn, having visited the South Pole on December 14, 1911, was able to return to his homeland alive.

First woman traveler

The thirst for travel and new discoveries was characteristic not only of men, but also of women. Thus, the first female traveler about whom there is reliable evidence was the Galician (northwestern part of Spain) Ejeria in the 4th century AD. Her travels were associated with holy lands and pilgrimages. Thus, it is known that within 3 years she visited Constantinople, Jerusalem, Sinai, Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is unknown whether Ejeria returned to her homeland.

Great Russian travelers who expanded the borders of Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world by area. Much of this fame owes to Russian travelers and explorers. The great travelers in the table below are given.

Russian travelers - explorers of the planet

Among them, Ivan Kruzenshtern should be noted, who was the first Russian to travel around the globe. We also mention Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay, who was a famous navigator and explorer of Oceania and South-East Asia. Let us also note Nikolai Przhevalsky, who was one of the most famous explorers of Central Asia in the world.

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Almost every corner of the Earth has now been explored. There is no longer any place left where no human foot has gone. Even the Arctic ice gave way under his onslaught.

But it was not always so. For our ancestors, our planet was an unknown and mysterious world, and new countries, strange customs and tribes were hidden beyond the horizon.

The most famous travelers made a great contribution to the study of the Earth, whose names remain forever in our memory, because... It was they who made world discoveries that changed people's understanding of our planet.

10. Francis Drake

A strait located between Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego was named after him. California has Drake Bay.

From the age of 12, Francis, the son of an ordinary farmer, became a cabin boy on the ship of his distant relative. From the age of 18 he was already a captain.

In 1567, his ship took part in an expedition. These ships were attacked by the Spaniards, most whom they sank. Only 2 ships survived, one of which belonged to Francis Drake. The British demanded compensation for all losses, but the Spaniards refused.

Then the young captain swore that he himself would take everything from the King of Spain. In 1577 he was sent to the coast of America. By official version, he was supposed to discover new lands, but in fact the goal was more prosaic - gold. Due to a storm, Drake discovered a strait that took his name.

9. Afanasy Nikitin

The famous Russian traveler became famous for being one of the first Europeans who was able to get to. He visited there before the Portuguese travelers.

Afanasy Nikitin Born into the family of an ordinary peasant. He became a merchant, but was remembered by his descendants as a man who not only reached India and Persia, but also described it in his book "Walking across three seas". Before this, Russian literature had written only about pilgrimage, and this was a description of a commercial trip, where he talked about the culture and economy of these countries, about their political structure.

8. Roald Amundsen

Norwegian explorer, famous for his polar expeditions. He was the first person to reach the South Pole, and also the very first traveler to visit both poles of the planet.

The expedition, which was organized in 1926, is the first to claim to have reached North Pole. He was the winner of many state and public awards.

Roald Amundsen At the insistence of his mother, he entered the medical faculty, but as soon as she died, he left it with relief. Fateful in his life was his acquaintance with the fate of Rear Admiral John Franklin and a description of his hardships. He began preparing for this feat at the age of 16, living a Spartan life: diet, sleeping outdoors and in winter, physical exercise, constant skiing, etc.

His first voyage was on the hunting ship Morgenen, where he wanted to prepare for the navigator's rank. A young polar explorer was waiting ahead interesting life, full of adventures and discoveries.

Most of his life was spent on expeditions; he never married and had no children. The famous traveler died at the age of 55 during the search for the expedition of Umberto Nobile.

7. Amerigo Vespucci

Florentine traveler, after whom it received its name. He was an ordinary financier who helped supply Christopher Columbus's 2nd and 3rd expeditions.

In 1499, at the age of 45, he decides to set off on a long journey himself. Amerigo Vespucci believed that sailing was a profitable business, so he was ready to conquer the world at his own expense.

Vespucci became one of the discoverers of the territory where Brazil was later located. The former financier was the first to realize that the shores of Brazil are not islands, but new lands, which he called the New World. In 1507, a map appeared in France with the contours of a new continent, which they called "land of Amerigo", and later began to be called America.

6. David Livingston

He was not an explorer, but a Scottish missionary. But, while fulfilling his difficult mission, he at the same time studied and told the whole world about it.

David Livingston Born into a poor family, he began working in a weaving factory at the age of 10. But this did not stop the boy from studying independently; he studied mathematics, Latin and Greek, entered the university and became a doctor.

Livingston became a missionary in 1840 and spent the next 15 years traveling constantly throughout the Central and South Africa, became an ardent fighter against the slave trade, and created a reputation for himself as a convinced Christian.

His life was difficult, but interesting, full of adventures, Africans called him “The Great Lion”.

David was the first European to cross the Kalahari Desert, after which he discovered and explored Lake Ngami. He also discovered Lake Dilolo.

Livingston and his companions were the first to find the waterfall, which the traveler named in honor of Queen Victoria. Now near this waterfall there is a monument to the great explorer. He spent most of his life in Africa.

5. Ferdinand Magellan

He was a navigator with the title "adelantado", which meant "leader of the conquistadors (conquerors)" who explored and conquered lands outside the Spanish possessions.

Ferdinand Magellan made the first trip around the world. He became the first European who was able to cross the sea from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, opening the strait named after him. Magellan belonged to a noble family.

In 1498, the Portuguese opened the road to India. They began to equip ships to conquer the east. On one of them was Magellan, who took part in the battles with everyone else. Soon he comes up with a plan for a journey that would later make him famous.

He asks the king to send him on a voyage, but he refuses. Then the traveler decides to move to, where he was able to create his own expedition of 5 ships. The journey was difficult, but as a result they found a strait, moving along which they were able to enter the ocean after 38 days.

The expedition was the first to reach the Philippine Islands, which Magellan called the Archipelago of Saint Lazarus. The brave navigator died early, at the age of 40, while participating in a military expedition against the Lapu-Lapu tribe of Mactan Island, whose leader did not want to obey Spain. He never lived to see the end of the world's first circumnavigation.

4. Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay

Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay was not only a traveler, but also a biologist and anthropologist, who devoted his life to studying the populations of Australia, Oceania and Asia. He was an ardent opponent of the slave trade, and was against the theory, popular at that time, that the black races were a transitional species from apes to humans.

He is our compatriot, born in the Novgorod province, studied at St. Petersburg University. In 1870 he went to New Guinea, where he lived among the Papuans, studying their life and rituals, and later continued his observations in neighboring regions.

3. Vasco da Gama

The famous Portuguese navigator who was the first to sail from Europe to India. Born into a family, in his youth he joined the Order of Santiago, and from a young age he participated in naval battles.

In those years, finding a sea route to India was the task of the century, because... it would bring enormous benefits. AND Vasco da Gama was able to do this, after which he became a representative of the nobility, and over time he was awarded the title of “Admiral of the Indian Ocean.”

2. James Cook

The famous navigator was born into the family of a poor Scottish farm laborer, and after 5 years of school he worked on a farm.

At the age of 18, he is hired as a cabin boy on his first ship. Thus begins his career as a sailor, which made James Cook famous.

He was at the head of 3 expeditions that explored the World Ocean. He paid a lot of attention to cartography; the maps he compiled were used until the second half of the 19th century. I learned to fight such a common disease in those days as scurvy.

He was known for his friendly attitude towards the indigenous people of the territories he explored, but died at the age of 50, killed by the natives of the Hawaiian Islands.

1. Christopher Columbus

Much has been said about the life of this famous navigator. He was the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean and visit the Caribbean and Sargasso Sea. He was the discoverer of Central and South America.

Coming from a poor Genoese family, he received a good education. Dreaming of getting to India in a short time by sea,Christopher Columbus makes a lot of efforts to implement his projects, but they all turn out to be unsuccessful.

Queen Isabella helped make his dream come true, and she agreed to pawn her jewels for the sake of a great idea.

4 expeditions were organized. Columbus died at the age of 55; the enormous significance of his discoveries was recognized much later, and during his lifetime his monopoly right to discover new lands was revoked; moreover, he was arrested and sent to Spain in shackles.