Bematists accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaign in Asia. Their measurements of the distances traveled by Alexander's army show a high degree of accuracy to the point that it had been suggested that they must have used an odometer, although there is no direct mentioning of such a device:
The overall accuracy of the bematists' measurements should be apparent. The minor discrepancies of distance can be adequately explained by slight changes in the tracks of roads during the last 2,300 years. The accuracy of the measurements implies that the bematists used a sophisticated mechanical device for measuring distances, undoubtedly an odometer such as described by Heron of Alexandria.[2]
The table below lists distances of the routes as measured by two of Alexander's bematists, Diognetus and Baeton. They were recorded in Pliny'sNaturalis Historia (NH 6.61–62). Another similar set of measurements is given by Strabo (11.8.9) following Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth based on work of Egyptian bematists.[3][4]
Notes: 1) 1 mille passus = 1,480 meters (1,620 yd) 2) 1 Attic stadion = 606 feet 10 inches (184.96 m) 3) The route is not recorded to have been followed by Alexander himself.
^Tzifopoulos, Yannis (2013). "Bematists". In Bagnall, Roger S.; Brodersen, Kai; Champion, Craige B.; Erskine, Andrew; Huebner, Sabine R. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Ancient History. doi:10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah09247.
^Heckel, Waldemar: Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire, Blackwell, 2006, ISBN978-1-4051-1210-9, p. 26
^Heckel, Waldemar: Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire, Blackwell, 2006, ISBN978-1-4051-1210-9, p. 216
^Epigraphical Database: Elis — Olympia — 336–323 BCE
Bibliographyedit
Engels, Donald W. (1978). Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army. University of California Press, Los Angeles, 1978, ISBN0-520-04272-7
January 01, 1970
bematist, bematistae, ancient, greek, βηματισταί, bēmatistaí, step, measurer, from, βῆμα, bema, pace, were, specialists, ancient, greece, ancient, egypt, measured, distances, pacing, contents, measurements, alexander, bematists, list, bematists, also, referenc. Bematists or bematistae Ancient Greek bhmatistai bematistai step measurer from bῆma bema pace were specialists in ancient Greece and ancient Egypt who measured distances by pacing 1 Contents 1 Measurements of Alexander s bematists 2 List of bematists 3 See also 4 References 5 BibliographyMeasurements of Alexander s bematists editBematists accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaign in Asia Their measurements of the distances traveled by Alexander s army show a high degree of accuracy to the point that it had been suggested that they must have used an odometer although there is no direct mentioning of such a device The overall accuracy of the bematists measurements should be apparent The minor discrepancies of distance can be adequately explained by slight changes in the tracks of roads during the last 2 300 years The accuracy of the measurements implies that the bematists used a sophisticated mechanical device for measuring distances undoubtedly an odometer such as described by Heron of Alexandria 2 The table below lists distances of the routes as measured by two of Alexander s bematists Diognetus and Baeton They were recorded in Pliny s Naturalis Historia NH 6 61 62 Another similar set of measurements is given by Strabo 11 8 9 following Eratosthenes Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth based on work of Egyptian bematists 3 4 Pliny 6 61 62 Strabo 11 8 9 Actual distance Route Milia passuum 1 English miles Kilometers Deviation Stadia 2 English miles Kilometers Deviation English miles Kilometers Route Northern Caspian Gates Hecatompylos 1960 225 362 0 8 227 365 main road Southern Caspian Gates Hecatompylos 133 122 196 2 4 125 201 main road Hecatompylos Alexandria Areion 575 529 851 0 4 4530 521 838 1 9 531 855 Silk Route Alexandria Areion Prophtasia 199 183 295 3 2 1600 184 296 2 6 189 304 Herat Juwain Prophtasia Arachoti Polis 565 520 840 1 4120 474 763 9 7 525 845 Juwain Kelat i Ghilzai Arachoti Polis Hortospana 250 230 370 0 4 2000 230 370 0 4 231 372 main road Kelat i Ghilzai Kabul Hortospana Alexandria ad Caucasum 50 46 74 2 1 47 76 Kabul Begram Alexandria ad Caucasum Peucolatis 237 218 351 3 2 211 340 Begram Charsada Peucolatis Taxila 60 55 89 20 69 111 Charsada Taxila Taxila Hydaspes Jhelum 120 110 180 4 8 105 169 Aurel Stein s route Alexandria Areion Bactra Zariaspa3 3870 445 716 1 6 438 705 via Kala Nau Bala Murghab Maimana and Andkhui Average 4 2 2 8 Median 2 8 1 9 Notes 1 1 mille passus 1 480 meters 1 620 yd 2 1 Attic stadion 606 feet 10 inches 184 96 m 3 The route is not recorded to have been followed by Alexander himself List of bematists editAmyntas 5 Baeton Diognetus Philonides of Chersonissos 6 7 See also editAncient Greek units of measurement Gromatici Surveyor s wheelReferences edit Tzifopoulos Yannis 2013 Bematists In Bagnall Roger S Brodersen Kai Champion Craige B Erskine Andrew Huebner Sabine R eds Encyclopedia of Ancient History doi 10 1002 9781444338386 wbeah09247 Engels 1978 p 158 Russo Lucio 2004 The Forgotten Revolution Berlin Springer pp 273 277 All data from Engels 1978 p 157 Heckel Waldemar Who s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great Prosopography of Alexander s Empire Blackwell 2006 ISBN 978 1 4051 1210 9 p 26 Heckel Waldemar Who s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great Prosopography of Alexander s Empire Blackwell 2006 ISBN 978 1 4051 1210 9 p 216 Epigraphical Database Elis Olympia 336 323 BCEBibliography editEngels Donald W 1978 Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army University of California Press Los Angeles 1978 ISBN 0 520 04272 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bematist amp oldid 1161803789, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
