Why Eratosthenes measurement of the Earth's cicumference can be at the same time so accurate and on the other hand so imprecise? (Q6574022)

The author starts by recalling that several ancient authors reported than Eratothenes (3rd c. BC) gave a value of the circumference of the Earth which is remarkably close to the actual value (up to 0.5\%). He then claims that this value was found by Eratosthenes by chance -- almost by mistake -- and that the actual precision of the method used by Eratosthenes is of the order of 20 to 25\% and that the high precision obtained by Eratosthenes it by effect of chance, and is due to a compensation of several crude approximations he was led to. The author's arguments are based on an investigation on the measure of the stade by Eratosthenes and by others. He appeals to the several old and recent researches on the topic.