How did Ptolemy help advance the field of cartography?

Ptolemy significantly advanced cartography through his work "Geographia," where he compiled and systematized geographical knowledge of the ancient world. He introduced the use of a grid system based on latitude and longitude, allowing for more precise mapping of locations. His methods for projecting the spherical Earth onto flat maps laid the groundwork for future cartographic techniques. Ptolemy's influence persisted for centuries, shaping the development of maps and geographic thought in both the Islamic world and Renaissance Europe.