Vice-coronel William Martin Leake (1777-1860) was a topographer, antiquarian and member of the society of the Dilettanti. He is considered one of the most systematic researchers of Greek territories. Leake studied in the Royal Military Academy, lived in India for four years and during his life became a member of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Geographic Society, and the Berlin Academy of Science.

From 1794 to 1815 Leake was on a government mission to the Ottoman empire, to promote the prospective political and military interests of the British Empire. Thus he mapped Egypt and the Nile waterfalls in 1801. He returned to Britan on a ship carrying part of the sculptures pillaged by Lord Elgin, and lost nearly all of his drawings and maps.

Later on, Leake studied the strategic possibilities of the Peloponnese, its roads and fortified positions. As official representative of Britain in the court of Ali Pasha, he made pioneering explorations of Northern Greece. Finally, he walked Western Asia Minor with unparalleled patience and endurance, and systematically charted its territory.

During his missions, Leake recorded every important feature of each area in his systematic, meticulous and precise style. He produced a plethoric work, comprised of the account of his travels (albeit with scarce references to himself), and historical and political expositions centered on the Greek world, both ancient and modern. In addition, Leake collected several antiquities, today housed in the British Museum and the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  Comparison of plans of ancient temples as to their size: The temple of Artemis at Ephesus (1), the Heraion of Samos (2), the sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma (3), the temple of Artemis at Sardes (4), the temple of Artemis Leucophryene at Magnesia on the Maeander (5), the temple of Dionysus at Teos (6), the temple of Athena Polias at Priene (7), in Ionic order. The temples of Agrigento (1) and Selinunte (2) in Doric order, the temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens (Corinthian order) and the Parthenon (Doric order).

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  Title page.

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  Plan of the Circus of Maxentius in Rome.

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  Ancient bridge in the area of Xirokambi, Laconia.

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  Map of the plain of Pheneos.

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  Map of the Peloponnese.

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  Map of the plain of Sparta.

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  Map of Mantineia and Tegeatis.

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  Topographic plan of the temple of Hera in Argos.

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  House entrances of ancient Acarnanian cities.

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  House entrances of ancient Acarnanian cities.

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  Arch from Oiniades in Acarnania.

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  Inscription from the temple of Aphaia in Aegina.

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  Map of ancient Olympia.

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  Title page.

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  Essay of a map of Asia Minor, ancient and modern.

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  Midas monument at the village of Yazılıkaya, near Eski Sehir.

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  Boustrophedon inscription, recorded by William Gell, from the throne of a statue at the Sacred Way of Didyma, the road leading from the Temple of Apollo to the sea. Inscription from a helmet at Olympia, votive offering of the city of Syracuse. William Leake cites the latter inscription to show how in Doric inscripions vowel crasis is employed so that inscriptions can end in dactylic hexameter.

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  Plan of stadium and ancient theatre as they are found in Magnesia, Tralles, Sardes and Pergamon, indicating how in those cities the theatre is adjacent to the stadium.

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  The Troas from Rhoeteium and Alexandria to the summits of Mt. Ida.

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  Plan of the ancient theatre of Patara. Plan of the ancient theatre of Myra. Drawings by C.R. Cockerell.

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  An example of the plan of an ancient theatre of Europe (Greece, southern Italy). According to William Leake, the orchestra forms a semicircle parallel to the scene, in contrast to the theatres of Asia Minor, which possess a wider orchestra forming an arc of approximately 220º.

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  Plan of the orchestra of an ancient theatre according to Vitruvius' description.

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  Plan of the gymnasium and palaestra of Hierapolis, based on the drawings by Charles Robert Cockerell.

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  Plan and elevation of the temple of Artemis at Sardes, where there was probably a cult of Zeus, Cybele and other deities as well.

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  Title page of the first part of the edition.

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  Plan of the Byzantine church of Agioi Saranta at Saranda, Albania. The plan was drawn by the author, based on the remains of the church.

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  Outline of fortification wall at Buthrotum, Albania.

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  Part of the fortifications of Thestiae, near Vlochos, Aetolia and Acarnania.

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  Map of ancient Nicopolis, showing the monument of Augustus, erected by Octavianus Augustus after his victory in Actium and dedicated to Apollo, Poseidon and Ares.

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  The northern side of the Roman walls of Nicopolis.

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  Inscription from the Byzantine church of Panagia Parigoritissa, Arta.

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  Map of Arta, showing the main monuments.

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  Map of Zalongo and Cassope.

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  Drawing of the theatre of Cassope.

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  Vase from the necropoleis of ancient Cassope.

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  Plan of the remains of the Roman aqueduct of Nicopolis on a tributary of Louros river .

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  Map of the site of ancient Dodoni.

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  Boat used in the lake of Kastoria.

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  Ancient Greek inscription from Domokos.

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  1. Ancient Greek inscription from Evinochori (or Bochori) in Aetolia and Acarnania. 2. Ancient Greek inscription from Lepenos in Aetolia and Acarnania. 3. Ancient Greek inscription from Sisani. 4, 5. Ancient Greek inscription from Apollonia in Illyria (today in Albania). 6. Ancient Greek inscription from fountain near the church of Hagios Ioannis Prodromos in Kalabaka. 7,8. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the cathedral church of Trikala.

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  9. Ancient Greek inscription from Larissa. 10, 11. Ancient Greek inscription discovered in the cemetery of Larissa. 12. Ancient Greek inscription from fountain east of Larissa. 13. Ancient Greek inscription discovered in the cathedral of Larissa and Tyrnavos in Larissa. 14. Ancient Greek inscription from chirch in Pharsala.

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  15, 16. Ancient Greek inscription from Domokos. 17. Ancient Greek inscription from Ypati.

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  Map of the area of Souli.

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  Plan of the odeon and the Greek theatre of Nicopolis. Plan of part of the walls, the aqueducts and cisterns.

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  Map of Attica, Central Greece, Epirus and Macedonia.

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  Title page of the second volume of the edition.

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  Part of the outline of the southwestern walls of ancient Panopea before the city was taken by the Macedonians. The drawing shows the placement of three gates on the fortification, each of which led to a different direction through a gallery.

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  Plan of the Acropolis of Orchomenus.

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  Drawing of slabs from the interior of the so-called “Tomb of Minyas” in Orchomenos.

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  Inscription from Roman sarcophagus supposed to be the tomb of Saint Luke the Evangelist, at the church of Hagios Loukas, Thebes.

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  Outline of protrusion (possibly an ancient mound) near the walls of ancient Thebes.

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  Map of Chalcis and adjacent area.

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  Map of the remains of ancient Anthedona at Loukisia, Boeotia.

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  Part of spout from the acropolis of ancient Anthedona at Loukissia, Boeotia.

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  Map of ancient Larymna at Phthiotis.

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  Outline of the wall erected by Lacedaemonians and Boeotians around Plataeae during the siege of the city in the Peloponnesian war. The drawing shows how hte construction of the wall permitted the allies to fight both the Athenians and the Plataeans.

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  Map of the site of ancient Tanagra.

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  Ruins of ancient fortification wall, tower and main body, near the village of Platanakia, Boeotia.

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  Plan, ceiling plan and transverse section of the Castalian fountain, Delphi. 1. The courtyard before the fountain. 2. The bassin at which the fountain water ended up through a covered conduit. 3. Rock-cut niches for votive offerings. 4. Church of Saint John the Forerunner. This was hte biggest niche around the fountain, and was converted into a chapel under Ottoman rule.

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  Map of Mount Vardousia, part of Pindus mountain range.

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  18, 19. Fragments of ancient Greek inscriptions from Hypati, Phocis. 20. Ancient Greek inscription from Amphicleia (older Dadi) in Phthiotis.

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  21, 22. Ancient Greek inscriptions from Tithorea (Velitsa) in Phhiotis. 23. Ancient Greek inscription from the castle of Amphicleia (Dadi). 24. Ancient Greek inscription on rock near the theatre of Glafyra (older Kapourna) near Volos. 25. Inscription from Glafyra. 26. Inscription from sarcophagus at Kapourna. 27. Inscription from church at Glafyra.

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  28. Ancient Greek inscription from Chaeronea in Boeotia. 29. Ancient Greek inscription from Livadeia. 30, 31. Ancient Greek inscription from the court of a mosque in Livadeia.

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  32. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the court of a mosque in Livadeia. 33. Ancient Greek inscription from Livadeia.

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  Map of the archaeological site of Delphi with the village of Kastri.

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  Tpographical map of Plataeae and adjacent area.

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  Map of the western part of Boeotia and Chalcis.

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  Tpographical map of Thermopylae and adjacent area.

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  Title page of the third part of the edition.

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  Map of the Chora of Lefkada.

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  Plan of the Mycenaean structure called the “Palace of Odysseus” at the acropolis of Ithaca.

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  Cavity on rock near Kalamos spring, Ithaca.

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  Wall of ancient quarry in Marathi, Paros. The left side has been excavated while the right is still in its original condition.

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  Topographical map of Amphipolis and adjacent area.

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  Plan of the rock-cut chamber tomb of Pella.

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  Ancient column capital placed at the bottom of the staircase at the house of the bishop of Kozani. It was used by the bishop as horse mounting stool.

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  Map of ancient Anactorion, which was situated on the site of modern-day Vonitsa.

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  Plough.

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  Fountain at the southwestern slope of the acropolis of ancient Ithoria, on the hill of Profitis Ilias at Aitolikon.

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  Plan of the walls of ancient Oiniadae in Acarnania. These remains are traditionally known as Trikardokastro.

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  Map of ancient Oiniadae, Acarnania.

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  106, 107. Ancient Greek inscriptions from the hill of Aetos, Ithaca. 108-111. Ancient Greek inscription from Perachori, Ithaca. 112. Ancient Greek inscription from the monastery of Taxiarches, Perachori, Ithaca. 113. Ancient Greek inscription from Perachori, Ithaca. 114. Ancient Greek inscription from Kyparissia, Peloponnese. 115. Ancient Greek inscription from the castle of Milos. Island Ancient Greek inscription from church on the hill of Profitis Ilias, near the castle of Milos. 117. Ancient Greek inscription from the castle of Paroikia, Paros.

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  118-121. Ancient Greek inscriptions from Paroikia, Paros. 122. Ancient Greek inscription, part of relief from the quarries of Marathi, Paros, near Agios Minas. 123. Ancient Greek inscription from Vatopedi monastery. 124. Ancient inscription in Greek and Latin from Vatopedi monastery.

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  Map of Ithaca.

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  Map of Macedonia and part of Epirus.

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  Title page of the fourth part of the edition.

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  Map of Preveza, showing three of the town's castles: The Venetian castle of Agios Andreas, the Ottoman castle of Yeni Kale and the Ottoman castle of Üç Kale (today Pantokratoras kastle).

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  Plan of the early Christian basilica at the site of Chalasma, near the village of Chrysaugi (older Velliani) in Paramythia, Epirus.

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  Plan of the polygonal walls of Kastritsa, ancient city near Ioannina.

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  Plan of typical house of affluent Ottoman family: 1. Outer court 2. Entrance. 3. Middle court 4. Stairs and principal gallery, first floor 5. Chamber of reception. 6. Inner court. 7. Apartments of the harem. 8. Kitchen. 9. Halleries of the harem. 10. Streets.

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  Map of Argos Ampilochium.

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  The bed of river Inachus at Aetolia and Acarnania.

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  Part of wall at ancient Eretria, on the site of Tsangli-Magoula, near the village of Palaiomylos, at the valley of Pharsala.

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  Drawings of the walls of wall at ancient Eretria, on the site of Tsangli-Magoula, near the village of Palaiomylos, at the valley of Pharsala.

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  161, 162. Ancient Greek inscriptions from Preveza. 163, 165. Ancient Greek inscriptions from church altar in Katochi (ancient Oiniadae). Aetolia and Acarnania. 164. Ancient Greek inscription from Thyrreion (older Agios Vaslileios), Aetolia and Acarnania. The inscription was discovered by the author on the wall of a house. 166, 167. Ancient Greek inscriptions from Vonitsa. 169. Ancient Greek inscription from church at Paramythia.

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  68. Ancient Greek inscription from Anactorion, Aetolia and Acarnania. 170. Ancient Greek inscription discovered in the church of Panagia Parigoritissa, Arta. 171. Ancient Greek inscription from bridge at Trikala. 172. Ancient Greek inscription from Gardiki, Trikala.

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  Topographical map of Thebes.

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  Ancient door frame discovered near the site of Boibe, ancient city in Thessaly.

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  Drawing of plough used in Thessaly.