The Greek system of weights and measures was built mainly upon the Egyptian, and formed the basis of the later Roman system. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Roman system of measurement was built on the Greek system with Egyptian influences. ...

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. In a city state like Athens, for example, units of measurement evolved as needs changed and sometimes they were radically reformed by influential figures such as Solon. 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 [Θόλος] — where merchants were required to test their measuring devices against official standards. For other uses, see Solon (disambiguation). ...

The units presented below are typical of Athens during it's 'Golden Age' in the 5th Century BC. The history of other Greek city states is less well recorded and their units of measurement are generally known only in so far as they were borrowed or adapted by the Athenians.

Length

The basic Athenian unit of length was called the dactylos [δάκτυλος] and it originally referred to a finger segment.

The stadion was a natural unit of length for a foot race and it has since given its name to sporting venues all around the world - in this case, the Athens Olympic Stadium

1 daktulos (m.) [δάκτυλος, ο] = approximately 2cm

1 pous (m.) [πους, ο = foot, in English] = 16 daktyloi (m.) [δάκτυλοι, οι (pl. of daktulos)]

1 pechus (m.) [πήχυς, ο] = 24 daktyloi [δάκτυλοι]

1 plethron (n.) [πλέθρον, το] = 100 podes (m.) [πόδες, οι (pl. of pous)]

1 stadion (n.) [στάδιον, το] = 600 podes [πόδες]

Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 980 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 980 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Map of downtown Rome during the Roman Empire showing the Stadion on the right The stadion (or stade) was an ancient foot race, part of the Olympic Games and the other Panhellenic Games. ...

Volume

Athenians measured dry capacity by the medimnos [μέδιμνος] and liquid capacity by the metretes [μετρητής]. Each unit was based on the common unit of a kotyle [κοτύλη]:

Dry Measure

1 medimnos (m.) [μέδιμνος, ο] = 48 choenices (m.) [χοίνικες, οι (pl. of choenix)] (approximately 25kg of grain)

1 choenix (m.) [χοίνιξ, ο] = 4 kotylae [κοτύλαι, αι (pl. of kotyle)]

1 kotyle (f.) [κοτύλη, η] = 6 kyathoi (m.) [κύαθοι, οι (pl. of kyathos)]

Liquid Measure

1 metretes (m.) [μετρητής, ο] = 12 choes (m.) [χόες, οι (pl. of chous)] (approximately 34L)

1 chous (m.) [χους, ο] = 12 kotylai [κοτύλαι]

1 kotyle (f.) [κοτύλη, η] = 6 kyathoi [κύαθοι]

Currency

The basic unit of Athenian currency was the obol:

An obol, Attica, Athens. After 449 BC

1 drachma (f.) [δραχμή, η] = 6 obols (m.) [οβολοί, οι (pl. of obol)]

1 stater (m.) [στατήρ, ο] = 2 drachmae (f.) [δραχμαί, αι (pl. of drachma)]

1 mina (f.) [μνα, η] = 100 drachmae [δραχμαί]

1 talent (n.) [τάλαντον, το] = 60 minae (f.) [μναι, αι (pl. of mina)]

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Weight

Athenian weights were associated with currency since units of currency involved prescribed amounts of a given metal.

1 obol (m.) [οβολός, ο] = approximately 0.7 grams

1 drachma (f.) [δραχμή, η] = 6 obols (m.) [οβολοί, οι (pl. of obol)]

1 stater (m.) [στατήρ, ο] = 2 drachmae (f.) [δραχμαί, αι (pl. of drachma)]

1 mina (f.) [μνα, η] = 100 drachmae (f.) [δραχμαί, αι (pl. of drachma)]

1 talent (n.) [τάλαντον, το] = 60 minae (f.) [μναι, αι (pl. of mina)] (approximately 26kg)

Area

1 plethron (n.) [πλέθρον, το]

originally the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plough in one day, approximately 4 English acres.

(the plethron was also a unit of length - see above)

Time

Athenians measured the day by sundials. Periods during night or day could be measured by a water 'clock' that dripped at a steady rate. The year was divided into 12 months, with one month being repeated 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 months were named after Athenian religious festivals (the actual order of the months in the Athenian Calendar, and their corresponding months of our contemporary Gregorian calendar months, between brackets): The Attic calendar is the calendar that was in use in ancient Attica, the ancestral territory of the Athenian polis. ... Look up Archon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world. ...

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.

Gamelion [Γαμηλιών] (7th: Dec-Jan)

Anthesterion [Ανθεστηριών] (8th: Jan-Feb)

Elaphebolion [Ελαφηβολιών] (9th: Feb-March)

Mοunichion [Μουνιχιών (ορθότερο), Μουνυχιών] (10th: March-April)

Thargelion [Θαργηλιών] (11th: April-May)

Skirophorion [Σκιροφοριών] (12th: May-June)

Hekatombaeon [Εκατομβαιών] (1st: June-July)

Metageitnion [Μεταγειτνιών] (2nd: July-Aug)

Boedromion [Βοηδρομιών] (3rd: Aug-Sept)

Pyanepsion [Πυανεψιών] (4th: Sept-Oct)

Maemakterion [Μαιμακτηριών] (5th: Oct-Nov)

Poseideon [Ποσειδεών] (6th: Nov-Dec)

Section of frieze from the Elgin Marbles Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Section of frieze from the Elgin Marbles Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Metope from the Elgin marbles depicting a Centaur and a Lapith fighting. ...

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.
• Lahanas, Michael. Measurement. Retrieved on July 26, 2007.