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The ancient Greek system of weights and measures was built mainly upon the Egyptian, and formed the basis of the later Roman system.
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- Although we might suggest that the Egyptians had discovered the art of measurement, it is really only with the Greeks that the science of measurement begins to appear. The Greeks' knowledge of geometry, and their early experimentation with weights and measures, soon began to place their measurement system on a more scientific basis. By comparison, Roman science, which came later, was not as advanced... (Quoted from the website of the Canada Science and Technology Museum [1])
Generally speaking, standards of measurement within the ancient Greek world 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. In time, some units of measurement were found to be convenient for trade within the Mediterranean region and these units became more and more common to different city states. Similarly the calibration and use of measuring devices became more sophisticated over time. By about 500 BC, Athens already had its own central depository of official weights and measures — the Tholos — where merchants were required to test their measuring devices against official standards.
Length
Greek measures of length were based on the relative lengths of body parts, such as the foot and finger segment. The specific values assigned to these units varied according to location and epoch (e.g., in Aegina a foot or pous was approximately 13 inches or 333mm, whereas in Athens (Attica) it was about 11.6 inches or 296mm).1 The relative proportions, however, were generally the same throughout the Greek world.
Units derived from the dactylos (plural: dactyloi):
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Unit Greek name Equivalent Description dactylos δάκτυλος finger breadth condylos κόνδυλος 2 dactyloi middle joint of finger palaiste or doron παλαιστή,δῶρον 4 dactyloi palm dichas or hemipodion διχάς,ἡμιπόδιον 8 dactyloi half foot lichas λιχάς 10 dactyloi span of thumb orthodoron ὀρθόδωρον 11 dactyloi 2 spithame σπιθαμή 12 dactyloi span of all fingers pous ποῦς 16 dactyloi foot; Attic foot ≈ 296 mm pygme πυγμή 18 dactyloi elbow to base of fingers pygon πυγών 20 dactyloi pechys πῆχυς 24 dactyloi cubit pechys basileios πῆχυς βασιλήιος 27 dactyloi royal cubit
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Larger units derived from the pous (plural: podes):
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Unit Greek name Equivalent Description pous ποῦς 16 dactyloi foot; Attic foot ≈ 296 mm aploun bema ἀπλοῦν βῆμα 2.5 podes single pace diploun bema διπλοῦν βῆμα 5 podes double pace 2 orgyia ὀργυιά 6 podes fathom or stretch of both arms akaina ἄκαινα 10 podes 2 plethron πλέθρον 100 podes breadth of Greek acre stadion στάδιον 600 podes Attic stadion ≈ 177,6 m
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| Unit | Greek name | Equivalent | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| stadion | στάδιον | 600 podes | Attic stadion ≈ 177,6 m |
| diaulos | δίαυλος | 2 stadia | |
| hippikon | ἱππικόν | 4 stadia | |
| dolichos | δόλιχος | 12 stadia | |
| parasang | παρασάγγες | 30 stadia | adopted from Persia |
| schoinos | σχοινός | 40 stadia | adopted from Egypt |
Area
- 1 plethron: traditionally the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plough in one day (approximately 4 English acres); more specifically, it was any area equal to the area of a square each of whose sides is 100 podes or 1 plethron in length 3.
Volume
Greeks measured volume according to either dry or liquid capacity, 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 210mL and 330mL (or 7.4-11.6 fl. oz.)4 :
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- Dry Measure
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Unit Greek name Equivalent Description cotyla κοτύλη approx a cup choenix χοῖνιξ 4 cotylae approx 1 man's daily grain ration hecteus ἑκτεύς 8 choenices medimnos μέδιμνος 6 hecteis
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- Liquid Measure
Currency
The basic unit of Athenian currency was the obol:
Weight
Weights are 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 weight and a unit of currency. Greek weights similarly bear a nominal resemblance to Greek currency yet the origin of the Greek standards of weights is often disputed 5. 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 has been represented by some scholars as follows 6:
Time
Athenians measured the day by sundials. Periods during night or day could be measured by a water clock (clepsydra) that dripped at a steady rate. Whereas the day in our Gregorian calendar commences just after midnight, the Greek day began just after sunset. Athenians named each year after the Archon Eponymos for that year, and in Hellenistic times years were reckoned in quadrennial epochs according to the Olympiad. The Athenian year was divided into 12 months, with one additional month (poseideon deuteros, 30 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:
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Month Greek name Gregorian equivalent Hekatombaeon Ἐκατομβαιών June-July Metageitnion Μεταγειτνιών July-Aug Boedromion Βοηδρομιών Aug-Sept Puanepsion Πυανεψιών Sept-Oct Maimakteron Μαιμακτηριών Oct-Nov Poseideon Ποσειδεών Nov-Dec Gamelion Γαμηλιών Dec-Jan Anthesterion Ἀνθεστηριών Jan-Feb Elaphebolion Ἐλαφηβολιών Feb-March Mounichion Μουνυχιών March-April Thargelion Θαργηλιών April-May Skirophorion Σκιροφοριών May-June
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References
- ^ Measures in The Oxford Classical Dictionary 2003
- ^ a b c Hellenic Institute of Metrology (EIM). "Metrology - Ancient Greece". Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
- ^ Measures in The Oxford Classical Dictionary (2003)
- ^ Measures in The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2003
- ^ Weights in The Oxford Classical Dictionary (2003)
- ^ Weights in The Oxford Classical Dictionary (2003)
See also
External links
- "History 310: Greek Coinage and Measures". History/Classics 310. Retrieved on December 15, 2005.
- Porter, John. "Greek and Roman Weights, Measures and Currency". Retrieved on July 26, 2007.
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 3 July 2008, at 08:14.
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