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Bematist (Ancient Greek:βηματιστής), pluralbematists orbematistae (Ancient Greek:βηματισταί), meaning 'step measurer' (fromβῆμα (bema), meaning 'pace'), were specialists inancient Greece andancient Egypt whomeasured distances bypacing.[1]
Bematists accompaniedAlexander the Great on hiscampaign 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 anodometer, 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 byHeron 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 inPliny'sNaturalis Historia (NH 6.61–62). Another similar set of measurements is given byStrabo (11.8.9) followingEratosthenes. Eratosthenes calculated thecircumference of the Earth based on work of Egyptian bematists.[3][4]
| Pliny 6.61–62 | Strabo 11.8.9 | Actual distance | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Route | Milia passuum1) | English miles | Kilometers | Deviation | Stadia2) | 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.