Mapparium: the CD Rom

The Mapparium idea reminded me of an old idea I had. The Mapparium CD rom. It would show the world map, and one could zoom in or out, like mapquest. Political boundaries are marked; you can zoom down to city level. At the bottom is a time slide. As you slide, boundaries jump and shift - for example, Germania would condense into the german states which then coalesce into germany, explode in size during the conquests of WWII, split to east and west then recondense. Poland's border flickers like a flame as the years slide past. Cities die and spring into existence. At any given point you can stop and explore the world - perhaps you have noticed the sudden explosion of the territory marked Ottoman Empire and so at the time of that surge you can click on it and learn what they were up to that year. Individual cities would also be clickable. You have noticed Babylon falls off the map. Click it and find out why. There would be further links to cultural and religious squibs appropriate for period and place.

I think this is better than a physical mapparium because of the ease with which you could appreciate sequence using the time slider.