Bematist (), plural bematists or bematistae (), meaning 'step measurer' (from βῆμα ''bema'', meaning 'step, pace'), were specialists in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

and

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

who measured distances by pacing.

Measurements of Alexander's bematists

Bematists accompanied

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

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 An odometer or odograph is an instrument used for measuring the distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or car. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two (electromechanical). The noun derives from ancient Gr ...

, although there is no direct mentioning of such a device: 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 The ''Natural History'' () is a Latin work by Pliny the Elder. The largest single work to have survived from the Roman Empire to the modern day, the ''Natural History'' compiles information gleaned from other ancient authors. Despite the work' ...

(''NH'' 6.61–62). Another similar set of measurements is given by

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

(11.8.9) following

Eratosthenes Eratosthenes of Cyrene (; ; – ) was an Ancient Greek polymath: a Greek mathematics, mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theory, music theorist. He was a man of learning, becoming the chief librarian at the Library of A ...

. Eratosthenes calculated the

circumference of the Earth Earth's circumference is the distance around Earth. Measured around the equator, it is . Measured passing through the poles, the circumference is . Treating the Earth as a sphere, its circumference would be its single most important measuremen ...

based on work of Egyptian bematists. Notes:
¹⁾ 1 mille passus =
²⁾ 1 Attic stadion =
³⁾ The route is not recorded to have been followed by Alexander himself.

List of bematists

* Amyntas * Baeton * Diognetus * Philonides of ChersonissosEpigraphical Database
Elis — Olympia — 336–323 BCE

References

Bibliography

* Engels, 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 Military personnel of Alexander the Great Ancient Greek technology Obsolete occupations Length, distance, or range measuring devices

Measurements of Alexander's bematists

List of bematists

See also

References

Bibliography