Bematist


Bematist, plural bematists or bematistae, meaning 'step measurer', were specialists in ancient Greece and ancient Egypt who measured distances by pacing.

Measurements of Alexander's bematists

Bematists accompanied Alexander the Great on his Chronology of the [expedition of Alexander the Great into Asia|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 table below lists distances of the routes as measured by two of Alexander's bematists, Baeton and. They were recorded in Pliny's Naturalis Historia . Another similar set of measurements is given by Strabo following Eratosthenes. Eratosthenes calculated the circumference of the Earth 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