De la durée à la distance

L'évaluation des distances maritimes dans le monde gréco-romain

Bibliographic Data

ID16698102
AuthorsPascal Arnaud (0000-0002-8152-9787, corresponding author)
Year1993
Volume8
Issue3
Pages225-247
Publication date1993-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHistoire & Mesure (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0982-1783 • E-ISSN: 1957-7745
PublisherPERSEE Program (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3406/hism.1993.1594
OpenAlexW1994261512
LanguageFR
Citations received7
References cited1

Pascal Arnaud. From duration to distance : the revaluation of naval distances in the greco-roman world. Estimating distances by sea in Antiquity was by no means allowed by any kind of instrument. It was the result of a mere conversion from journeys' durations to linear distances. Several conversion scales were in use for high-sea navigation, mainly : 700 stadia per solar day, 1,000 stadia per 24 hours-day, 500 stadia per solar day. Distances taken along the coast were much more accurate (down to a one-stadion interval !) andsegmentated, but seem to belong to a far larger pannel of scale-systems. Although some conversion systems seem to have belonged properly to the Latin world — for they are based upon the Roman mile — the greek stadion appears to have been the naval distance unit par excellence of the Classical world. The need for distance calculation doesn't appear to be linked with any navigation exigency, but moreover to some kind of geographical inquiry able to commute traveller's sensible, immediate perception of space into an intelligible transmissible space, through arithmetical conceits. Such a process is likely to be linked closely with progresses in philosophical and cosmological navigation

Art · Geodesy · Geography · Humanities · Mile · Historical Geography and Cartography · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology

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