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 (daktylos, plural: daktyloi) or finger (having the size of a thumb), and the (pous, plural: 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 , whereas in Athens (Attica) it was about ), but the relative proportions were generally the same.

+Smaller units of length Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description daktylos finger kondylos 2 daktyloi knuckle palaistē or dōron , 4 daktyloi palm dichas or hēmipodion , 8 daktyloi half foot lichas 10 daktyloi distance from thumb-tip to tip of outstretched index finger orthodōron 11 daktyloi straight hand's width spithamē 12 daktyloispan of all fingers pous 16 daktyloi foot pygmē 18 daktyloi forearm pygōn 20 daktyloi distance from elbow to fist pēchys 24 daktyloi cubit +Smaller units derived from the daktylosdaktyloskondylosdorondichaslichasorthodoronspithamepouspygmepygonpechusroyal pechusdaktylos1kondylos21doron421dichas8421lichas1051orthodoron111spithame12631pous168421pygme1891pygon2010521pechus24126321royal pechus271meters0.019260.038530.077060.154110.192640.211910.231170.308230.346760.385290.462340.52014 +Larger units of length Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description pous foot haploun bēma podes step bēma, diploun bēma 5 podes pace orgyia 6 podes fathom kalamos, akaina or dekapous 10 podes 10 feet hamma 60 podes knot, link of a chain plethron 100 podes 100 feet stadion 600 podes an eighth of a Roman mile diaulos 2 stadiadouble pipe hippikon 4 stadia length of a hippodrome milion 8 stadia Roman mile dolichos 12 stadialong race parasanges, or leagueXenophon, Anabasis. ca 400 B.C. 30 stadia adopted from Persia schoinos 40 stadia adopted from Egypt stage 160 stadia +Larger units derived from the pouspousbema haplunbema diplunorguiaakainahammaplethronstadionpous1bema haplun1bema diplun521orguia61akaina10421hamma6024121061plethron1004020101stadion600240120100601061meters0.308230.770571.541151.84943.082318.493830.823184.94

Area

The ordinary units used for land measurement were:

+ Units of surface measurement Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description pous square foot hexapodēs 36 podes square six-foot akaina 100 podes rod hēmiektos podes half a sixth hektos podes a sixth of a plethron aroura 2,500 podes field plethron 10,000 podes Except where noted, based on Smith (1851). Metric equivalents are approximate.

Volume Neck amphora depicting an athleterunning the hoplitodromos by the BerlinPainter, , 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. The basic unit for both solid and liquid measures was the (kyathos, plural: kyathoi).

The Attic liquid measures were:

+Attic measures of liquid capacity Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description kochliarion spoon chēmē 2 kochliaria a measure mystron kochliariaRoman ligula konchē 5 kochliariashell-full kyathos 10 kochliariaRoman cyathus oxybaphon kyathoiRoman acetabulum tetarton, hēmikotylē 3 kyathoiRoman quartarius kotylē, tryblion or hēmina 6 kyathoiRoman cotyla or hemina xestēs 12 kyathoiRoman sextarius chous 72 kyathoiRoman congius keramion 8 choesRoman amphora quadrantal metrētēs 12 choesamphora Except where noted, based on Smith (1851). Metric equivalents are approximate.

and the Attic dry measures of capacity were:

+Attic measures of dry capacity Unit Greek name Equal to Modern equivalent Description kochliarion kyathos 10 kochliariaRoman cyathus oxybaphon kyathoiRoman acetabulum kotylē or hēmina 6 kyathoiRoman cotyla or hemina xestēs 12 kyathoiRoman sextarius choinix 24 kyathoiThe daily grain ration of an adult man.Choinix hēmiekton 4 choinikesRoman semimodius hekteus 8 choinikesRoman modius medimnos μέδιμνος 48 choinikes Except where noted, based on Smith (1851). Metric equivalents are approximate.

Currency

The basic unit of Athenian currency was the obol, weighing approximately 0.72 grams of silver:British Museum Catalogue 11 - Attica Megaris Aegina

Unit Greek name Equivalent Weight obol or obolus drachma, 4 tetartemorions drachma 6 obols mina 100 drachmae talent 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. 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: {| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" ! Unit ! Greek name ! Equivalent ! Metric Equivalent ! Aeginetic standard |- | obol or obolus

| drachma

| 6 obols

| mina

| 100 drachmae

| talent | | 60 minae

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.

Month Greek name Gregorian equivalent Hecatombaeon June–July Metageitnion July–August Boedromion August–September Pyanepsion September–October Maemacterion October–November Poseideon November–December Gamelion December–January Anthesterion January–February Elaphebolion February–March Munychion March–April Thargelion April–May Scirophorion May–June

See also Ancient Roman units of measurement Byzantine units of measurement Level staff

References

External links

Online Conversion of Ancient Greek Units