What is the physical process one would use to map something like the Italian peninsula, or the Mediterranean, in 100BCE? 200 BCE? 40BC? 200CE? Even early Post-Classical maps? Anything like this would be great.
The thing is that maps like we muck around with are a fairly recent occurrence. While this thread is largely focused on military matters, the exchange between u/albasri and u/XenophonTheAthenian (permalink here) is particularly notable.
To answer your question in the sense of mapmaking, u/khosikulu has an answer for the period 900-1400 in that thread, but I'm really linking it for his plug of the Wisconsin History of Cartography.
EDIT: Clean slipped my mind to link this section of the FAQ, dealing specifically with cartography.