It is common to confuse what it is an ancient map with a historical map. It seems clear that the adjective “historical” has more charisma, giving  it an aspect of venerability that produces at the same time a respectful curiosity and reverence. On the other hand, the therm “ancient” is emotionally related to something that is old-fashion or simply that is not useful. 

The aim of study of History of Cartography is the ancient cartography or, in a general way, cartographic heritage, a therm which in some areas is having great success (Capdevila, 2012). Part of this cartography could be named as historical, in other words, that has kill main objetive the representation of facts that are historical in the moment of its creation.

Evidently, there is historical cartography that is ancient, like the case of the retail [John Blair] (1770) Iberia sive Hispania vetus in tres praecipuas partes reconds in populos Divisa which illustrates this comment (reference of Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya).

Some day it can be described a history of historical cartography. About this question Crespo i Fernández (2011) talks about.