The geographical data which can be attributed to Eratosthenes’ is available to us through the text of Strabo’s “Geography”. Unfortunately Strabo was neither a geographer nor a mathematician, but more a social historian, preferring to write mostly about that subject. However, we can glean from the text sufficient geographical data to enable a reasonable reconstruction of Eratosthenes’ world, and confirm some of the distance measures utilised.
The size of the world, 252000 Stadia (of unconfirmed) length is analysed, and then the length of the Stadion determined from the data collated. The metrology for determining the inter-distances from place to place is examined, and conclusions drawn that will require cartographic history to be updated.
8 A4 pages and 11 full colour diagram maps
