Balance of Power. Throughout Roman history geographical knowledge was of critical importance to maintaining the precarious balance of power. In his Res gestae Augustus makes the claim that he brought the inhabited world under Roman rule. It is no coincidence that his assertion was easily visualized on the map that was on display in Rome. The map, which was accompanied by a written commentary, Descriptio orbis, was the work of Marcus Agrippa, the general that masterminded many of the emperor's most important military triumph, such as the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.E., where Antony and Cleopatra met their demise. Agrippa's ability to make political deals in such distant places as the Crimea was directly related to geographical reconnaissance in those regions, and the knowledge of what could and could not be accomplished by the military. Marcus Agrippa's prominence...