known world
Mapped human civilization
The known world is the portion of the earth familiar to a particular civilization at a particular time.
For ancient Romans, the known world meant the Mediterranean basin and its surroundings.
The phrase often carries a note of historical humility—acknowledging that what seemed like everything was merely what had been explored: Alexander conquered the known world by age thirty.
In fantasy fiction, the known world typically refers to the mapped regions where the story takes place, implying mysterious lands beyond.
- civilizedSocially developed and refined
- exploredExamined by traveling through
- ancientVery old indeed
- Roman EmpireAncient state from Augustus onward
- realmGoverned territory or sphere
empire · horizon · flat earth · cartography · terra · mapped · discovered · boundaries · frontier · dominion · Christendom · inhabited · lands · kingdoms · sphere · compass · atlas · edges
- medieval mapsmapmaking, portolan charts, sea charts, nautical charts, compass rose
- worldsearth, planet, realm, kingdom, dimension
- Ancient GeographyMediterranean, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Black Sea, Nile
- ancient mapsold maps, nautical charts, ancient maps, portolan charts, maritime charts
known worldterra incognita
Unexplored or unknown region
uncharted territory · undiscovered country · the great unknown · parts unknown · the beyond
known worldalien worlds
Planets outside our system
the unknown · the uncanny · parallel dimensions · alternate realities · outer space
known worldhidden world
Unseen reality existing alongside ours
the underworld · shadow realm · the unconscious · lost civilizations
known, world, know, knows, knowing, knew, knowledge, knowledgeable, unknown