Ancient Greek units of measurement varied according to location and epoch. Systems of ancient weights and measures evolved as needs changed; Solon and other lawgivers also reformed them en bloc. Some units of measurement were found to be convenient for trade within the Mediterranean region and these units became increasingly common to different city states. The calibration and use of measuring devices became more sophisticated. By about 500 BC, Athens had a central depository of official weights and measures, the Tholos, where merchants were required to test their measuring devices against official standards.

Length

Some Greek measures of length were named after parts of the body, such as the δάκτυλος (daktylos, plural: δάκτυλοι daktyloi) or finger (having the size of a thumb), and the πούς (pous, plural: πόδες podes) or foot (having the size of a shoe). The values of the units varied according to location and epoch (e.g., in Aegina a pous was approximately 333 mm (13.1 in), whereas in Athens (Attica) it was about 296 mm (11.7 in)),[1] but the relative proportions were generally the same.

Smaller units of length
Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description
daktylos δάκτυλος 19.3 mm (0.76 in) finger
kondylos κόνδυλος 2 daktyloi 38.5 mm (1.52 in) knuckle
palaistē or dōron παλαιστή, δῶρον 4 daktyloi 77.1 mm (3.04 in) palm
dichas or hēmipodion διχάς, ἡμιπόδιον 8 daktyloi 154.1 mm (6.07 in) half foot
lichas λιχάς 10 daktyloi 192.6 mm (7.58 in) distance from thumb-tip to tip of outstretched index finger[2]
orthodōron ὀρθόδωρον 11 daktyloi 211.9 mm (8.34 in) straight hand's width
spithamē σπιθαμή 12 daktyloi 231.2 mm (9.10 in) span of all fingers
pous πούς 16 daktyloi 308.2 mm (12.13 in) foot
pygmē πυγμή 18 daktyloi 346.8 mm (13.65 in) forearm
pygōn πυγών 20 daktyloi 385.3 mm (15.17 in) distance from elbow to fist
pēchys πῆχυς 24 daktyloi 462.3 mm (18.20 in) cubit
Except where noted, based on Smith (1851).[3] Metric equivalents are approximate.
Smaller units derived from the daktylos
daktylos kondylos doron dichas lichas orthodoron spithame pous pygme pygon pechus royal pechus
daktylos 1 1⁄2 1⁄4 1⁄8 1⁄10 1⁄11 1⁄12 1⁄16 1⁄18 1⁄20 1⁄24 1⁄27
kondylos 2 1 1⁄2 1⁄4 1⁄5 2⁄11 1⁄6 1⁄8 1⁄9 1⁄10 1⁄12 2⁄27
doron 4 2 1 1⁄2 2⁄5 4⁄11 1⁄3 1⁄4 2⁄9 1⁄5 1⁄6 4⁄27
dichas 8 4 2 1 4⁄5 8⁄11 2⁄3 1⁄2 4⁄9 2⁄5 1⁄3 8⁄27
lichas 10 5 2+1⁄2 1+1⁄4 1 10⁄11 5⁄6 5⁄8 5⁄9 1⁄2 5⁄12 10⁄27
orthodoron 11 5+1⁄2 2+3⁄4 1+3⁄8 1+1⁄10 1 11⁄12 11⁄16 11⁄18 11⁄20 11⁄24 11⁄27
spithame 12 6 3 1+1⁄2 1+1⁄5 1+1⁄11 1 3⁄4 2⁄3 3⁄5 1⁄2 4⁄9
pous 16 8 4 2 1+3⁄5 1+5⁄11 1+1⁄3 1 8⁄9 4⁄5 2⁄3 16⁄27
pygme 18 9 4+1⁄2 2+1⁄4 1+4⁄5 1+7⁄11 1+1⁄2 1+1⁄8 1 9⁄10 3⁄4 2⁄3
pygon 20 10 5 2+1⁄2 2 1+9⁄11 1+2⁄3 1+1⁄4 1+1⁄9 1 5⁄6 20⁄27
pechus 24 12 6 3 2+2⁄5 2+2⁄11 2 1+1⁄2 1+1⁄3 1+1⁄5 1 8⁄9
royal pechus 27 13+1⁄2 6+3⁄4 3+3⁄8 2+7⁄10 2+5⁄11 2+1⁄4 1+11⁄16 1+1⁄2 1+7⁄20 1+1⁄8 1
meters 0.01926 0.03853 0.07706 0.15411 0.19264 0.21191 0.23117 0.30823 0.34676 0.38529 0.46234 0.52014
Larger units of length
Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description
pous πούς 0.308 m (1.01 ft) foot
haploun bēma[4] ἁπλοῦν βῆμα 2+1⁄2 podes 0.77 m (2.5 ft) step
bēma,[3] diploun bēma[4] βῆμα, διπλοῦν βῆμα 5 podes 1.54 m (5.1 ft) pace
orgyia ὄργυια 6 podes 1.85 m (6.1 ft) fathom
kalamos, akaina or dekapous κάλαμος, ἄκαινα, δεκάπους 10 podes 3.08 m (10.1 ft) 10 feet
hamma ἅμμα 60 podes 18.5 m (20.2 yd) knot, link of a chain
plethron πλέθρον 100 podes 30.8 m (33.7 yd) 100 feet
stadion στάδιον 600 podes 184.9 m (202.2 yd) an eighth of a Roman mile
diaulos δίαυλος 2 stadia 369.9 m (404.5 yd) double pipe
hippikon ἱππικόν 4 stadia 739.7 m (808.9 yd) length of a hippodrome[5]
milion μίλιον 8 stadia 1.479 km (1,617 yd) Roman mile
dolichos[4] δόλιχος 12 stadia 2.219 km (1.379 mi) long race
parasanges, or league[6] παρασάγγης 30 stadia 5.548 km (3.447 mi) adopted from Persia[4]
schoinos σχοινός 40 stadia 7.397 km (4.596 mi) adopted from Egypt[4]
stage[6] 160 stadia 29.8 km (18.5 mi)
Except where noted, based on Smith (1851).[3] Metric equivalents are approximate.
Larger units derived from the pous
pous bema haplun bema diplun orguia akaina hamma plethron stadion
pous 1 2⁄5 1⁄5 1⁄6 1⁄10 1⁄60 1⁄100 1⁄600
bema haplun 2+1⁄2 1 1⁄2 5⁄12 1⁄4 1⁄24 1⁄40 1⁄240
bema diplun 5 2 1 5⁄6 1⁄2 1⁄12 1⁄20 1⁄120
orguia 6 2+2⁄5 1+1⁄5 1 3⁄5 1⁄10 3⁄50 1⁄100
akaina 10 4 2 1+2⁄3 1 1⁄6 1⁄10 1⁄60
hamma 60 24 12 10 6 1 3⁄5 1⁄10
plethron 100 40 20 16+2⁄3 10 1+2⁄3 1 1⁄6
stadion 600 240 120 100 60 10 6 1
meters 0.30823 0.77057 1.54115 1.8494 3.0823 18.4938 30.823 184.94

Area

The ordinary units used for land measurement were:

Units of surface measurement
Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description
pous πούς 0.095 m2 (1.02 sq ft) square foot
hexapodēs ἑξαπόδης 36 podes 3.42 m2 (36.8 sq ft) square six-foot
akaina ἄκαινα 100 podes 9.50 m2 (102.3 sq ft) rod
hēmiektos ἡμίεκτος 833+1⁄3 podes 79.2 m2 (853 sq ft) half a sixth
hektos ἕκτος 1,666+2⁄3 podes 158.3 m2 (1,704 sq ft) a sixth of a plethron
aroura ἄρουρα 2,500 podes 237.5 m2 (2,556 sq ft) field
plethron πλέθρον 10,000 podes 950 m2 (10,200 sq ft)
Except where noted, based on Smith (1851).[3] Metric equivalents are approximate.

Volume


Neck amphora depicting an athlete
running the hoplitodromos by the Berlin
Painter, c. 480 BC, Louvre.

Greeks measured volume according to either solids or liquids, suited respectively to measuring grain and wine. A common unit in both measures throughout historic Greece was the cotyle or cotyla whose absolute value varied from one place to another between 210 ml and 330 ml.[1] The basic unit for both solid and liquid measures was the κύαθος (kyathos, plural: kyathoi).[4]

The Attic liquid measures were:

Attic measures of liquid capacity
Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description
kochliarion κοχλιάριον 4.5 mL (0.15 US fl oz; 0.16 imp fl oz) spoon
chēmē χήμη 2 kochliaria 9.1 mL (0.31 US fl oz; 0.32 imp fl oz) a measure[7]
mystron μύστρον 2+1⁄2 kochliaria 11.4 mL (0.39 US fl oz; 0.40 imp fl oz) Roman ligula
konchē κόγχη 5 kochliaria 22.7 mL (0.77 US fl oz; 0.80 imp fl oz) shell-full
kyathos κύαθος 10 kochliaria 45.5 mL (1.54 US fl oz; 1.60 imp fl oz) Roman cyathus
oxybaphon ὀξυβαφον 1+1⁄2 kyathoi 68.2 mL (2.31 US fl oz; 2.40 imp fl oz) Roman acetabulum
tetarton,[3] hēmikotylē[4] τέταρτον, ἡμικοτύλη 3 kyathoi 136.4 mL (4.61 US fl oz; 4.80 imp fl oz) Roman quartarius
kotylē, tryblion or hēmina κοτύλη, τρύβλιον, ἡμίνα 6 kyathoi 272.8 mL (9.22 US fl oz; 9.60 imp fl oz) Roman cotyla or hemina
xestēs ξέστης 12 kyathoi 545.5 mL (1.153 US pt; 0.960 imp pt) Roman sextarius
chous χοῦς 72 kyathoi 3.27 L (6.9 US pt; 5.75 imp pt) Roman congius
keramion κεράμιον 8 choes 26.2 L (6.9 US gal; 5.8 imp gal) Roman amphora quadrantal
metrētēs μετρητής 12 choes 39.3 L (10.4 US gal; 8.6 imp gal) amphora
Except where noted, based on Smith (1851).[3] Metric equivalents are approximate.
Illustration of the Third Horseman of the Apocalypse holding a set of scales; in the Book of Revelation he proclaims "A choinix of wheat for a denarius, and three choinikes of barley for a denarius;" indicating high food prices during a famine.[8]

and the Attic dry measures of capacity were:

Attic measures of dry capacity
Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description
kochliarion κοχλιάριον 4.5 mL (0.15 US fl oz; 0.16 imp fl oz)
kyathos κύαθος 10 kochliaria 45.5 mL (1.54 US fl oz; 1.60 imp fl oz) Roman cyathus
oxybaphon ὀξυβαφον 1+1⁄2 kyathoi 68.2 mL (2.31 US fl oz; 2.40 imp fl oz) Roman acetabulum
kotylē or hēmina κοτύλη, ἡμίνα 6 kyathoi 272.8 mL (9.22 US fl oz; 9.60 imp fl oz) Roman cotyla or hemina
xestēs ξέστης 12 kyathoi 545.5 mL (1.153 US pt; 0.960 imp pt) Roman sextarius
choinix χοῖνιξ 24 kyathoi 1.09 L (2.3 US pt; 1.92 imp pt)
hēmiekton ἡμίεκτον 4 choinikes 4.36 L (1.15 US gal; 0.96 imp gal) Roman semimodius
hekteus ἑκτεύς 8 choinikes 8.73 L (2.31 US gal; 1.92 imp gal) Roman modius
medimnos μέδιμνος 48 choinikes 52.4 L (13.8 US gal; 11.5 imp gal)
Except where noted, based on Smith (1851).[3] Metric equivalents are approximate.

Currency

The basic unit of Athenian currency was the obol, weighing approximately 0.72 grams of silver:[9][10]

An obol, Attica, Athens, weighing 0.69g After 449 BC
Unit Greek name Equivalent Weight
obol or obolus ὀβολός 1⁄6 drachma, 4 tetartemorions 0.72 g (0.023 ozt)
drachma δραχμή 6 obols 4.3 g (0.14 ozt)
mina μνᾶ 100 drachmae
talent τάλαντον 60 minae

Mass

Mass is often associated with currency since units of currency involve prescribed amounts of a given metal. Thus for example the English pound has been both a unit of mass and a currency. Greek masses similarly bear a nominal resemblance to Greek currency yet the origin of the Greek standards of weights is often disputed.[11] There were two dominant standards of weight in the eastern Mediterranean: a standard that originated in Euboea and that was subsequently introduced to Attica by Solon, and also a standard that originated in Aegina. The Attic/Euboean standard was supposedly based on the barley corn, of which there were supposedly twelve to one obol. However, weights that have been retrieved by historians and archeologists show considerable variations from theoretical standards. A table of standards derived from theory is as follows:[11]

Unit Greek name Equivalent Metric Equivalent Aeginetic standard
obol or obolus ὀβολός [12] 0.72 g (0.025 oz) 1.05 g (0.037 oz)
drachma δραχμή [13] 6 obols 4.31 g (0.152 oz) 6.3 g (0.22 oz)
mina μνᾶ [14] 100 drachmae 431 g (15.2 oz) 630 g (22 oz)
talent τάλαντον [15] 60 minae 25.86 kg (57.0 lb) 37.8 kg (83 lb)

Time

Athenians measured the day by sundials and unit fractions. Periods during night or day were measured by a water clock (clepsydra) that dripped at a steady rate and other methods. Whereas the day in the Gregorian calendar commences after midnight, the Greek day began after sunset. Athenians named each year after the Archon Eponymous for that year, and in Hellenistic times years were reckoned in quadrennial epochs according to the Olympiad.

In archaic and early classical Greece, months followed the cycle of the Moon which made them not fit exactly into the length of the solar year. Thus, if not corrected, the same month would migrate slowly into different seasons of the year. The Athenian year was divided into 12 months, with one additional month (Poseidon deuterons, thirty days) being inserted between the sixth and seventh months every second year. Even with this intercalary month, the Athenian or Attic calendar was still fairly inaccurate and days had occasionally to be added by the Archon Basileus. The start of the year was at the summer solstice (previously it had been at the winter solstice) and months were named after Athenian religious festivals, 27 mentioned in the Hibah Papyrus, circa 275 BC.

This section of a frieze from the Elgin Marbles shows a cavalry procession that was part of the quadrennial Greater Panathenaic festival, always held in the month Hekatombion.
Month Greek name Gregorian equivalent
Hecatombaeon Ἑκατομβαιών June–July
Metageitnion Μεταγειτνιών July–August
Boedromion Βοηδρομιών August–September
Pyanepsion Πυανεψιών September–October
Maemacterion Μαιμακτηριών October–November
Poseideon Ποσειδεών November–December
Gamelion Γαμηλιών December–January
Anthesterion Ἀνθεστηριών January–February
Elaphebolion Ἐλαφηβολιών February–March
Munychion Μουνυχιών March–April
Thargelion Θαργηλιών April–May
Scirophorion Σκιροφοριών May–June

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Measures". The Oxford Classical Dictionary. 2003.
  2. ↑ "What is the unit called a lichas?". www.sizes.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Smith, Sir William; Charles Anthon (1851) A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, mythology, and geography partly based upon the Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology New York: Harper & Bros. Tables, pp. 1024–30
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 EIM:Metrology:History. Hellenic Institute of Metrology (EIM). Archived 13 April 2009.
  5. ↑ Petermandl, Werner (November 19, 2020). "On the length of the Greek hippodrome". In Moretti, Jean-Charles; Valavanis, Panos (eds.). Les hippodromes et les concours hippiques dans la grèce antique. Suppléments du BCH. École française d’Athènes. pp. 133–144. ISBN 9782869584662 – via OpenEdition Books.
  6. 1 2 Xenophon, Anabasis. ca 400 B.C.
  7. ↑ Ward, Elster F. (February 2, 1899). "Outlines of Sociology" – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Mounce, Robert H. (2006). The Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids, Mich. [u.a.]: Eerdmans. p. 140. ISBN 9780802825377. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
  9. ↑ British Museum Catalogue 11 - Attica Megaris Aegina
  10. ↑ "History 310: Greek Coinage and Measures". Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. 1 2 "Weights". The Oxford Classical Dictionary. 2003.
  12. ↑ ὀβολός. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
  13. ↑ δραχμή. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
  14. ↑ μνᾶ. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
  15. ↑ τάλαντον. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
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