The Roman system of measurement was built on the Greek system with Egyptian influences. The Roman units were generally accurate and well documented. Roman or Romans has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens, but also applicable to typography, math, and several geographic locations. ...
The Roman foot is defined sixteen 28th of the Nippur cubit.
Since Antiquity the Roman foot was sometimes divided into 12 parts (unciae i.e. thumbs or inches), but the digit measure (= 1/16 foot) largly dominated before the beginning of Middle-Ages.
Area
Roman unit
Latin name
Acres
Equivalence
one square foot
pes quadratus
1 / 14 400
~ 875 cm²
one square perch
scripulum
1 / 144
~ 8.75 m²
one aune of furrows
actus minimus
1 / 30
~ 42 m²
one rood
clima
1 / 4
~ 315 m²
one acre
actus quadratus
1
~ 1260 m²
one yoke
iugerum
2
~ 2520 m²
one morn
heredium
4
~ 5040 m²
one centurie
centuria
400
~ 50.4 ha
one "quadruplex"
saltus
1600
~ 201.6 ha
The Roman acre is the squared Roman arpent. This egal 14 400 squared feet or about 0.126 hektar, more exactly one, almost: 1264.673 square metres.
Volume
Liquid measures :
Roman unit
Latin name
Sesters
Equivalence
one spoonfull
ligula
1 / 48
~ 1⅛ cl
one dose
cyathus
1 / 12
~ 4½ cl
one sixth-sester
sextans
1 / 6
~ 9 cl
one third-sester
triens
1 / 3
~ 18 cl
one half-sester
hemina
1 / 2
~ 27 cl
one double third-sester
cheonix
2 / 3
~ 36 cl
one sester
sextarius
1
~ 54 cl
one congius
congius
6
~ 3¼ l
one urn
urna
24
~ 13 l
one jar
amphora
48
~ 26 l
one hose
culleus
960
~ 520 l
The Roman jar, so-called "amphora quadrantal" is the cubic foot. The congius is half-a-foot cube. The Roman sester is the sixth of a congius.
Dry measures :
Roman unit
Latin name
Pecks
Equivalence
one drawing-spoon
acetabulum
1 / 128
~ 6¾ cl
one quarter-sester
quartarius
1 / 64
~ 13½ cl
one half-sester
hemina
1 / 32
~ 27 cl
one sester
sextarius
1 / 16
~ 54 cl
one gallon
semodius
1 / 2
~ 4⅔ l
one peck
modius
1
~ 8⅔ l
one bushel
quadrantal
3
~ 26 l
Like the jar, the Roman bushel or "quadrantal" is one cubic foot. Its almost 26.027 liters. The third part of this quadrantal is the Roman peck.
Weight
Roman unit
Latin name
Drachms
Equivalence
one chalcus
chalcus
1 / 48
71 mg
one siliqua
siliqua
1 / 18
189⅓ mg
one obolus
obolus
1 / 6
0.568 g
one scruple
scrupulum
1 / 3
1.136 g
one drachm
drachma
1
3.408 g
one shekel
sicilicus
2
6.816 g
one ounce
uncia
8
27.264 g
one pound
libra
96
327.168 g
one mine
mina
128
436.224 g
There is no direct relationship between the lengths and the weights. But: The Roman pound is exactly three quarters of the Greek mine. Thus the Greek and Roman drachm is related by the ratio 32 to 25.
Others give 327.453 grams to the Roman pound, i.e. an additional 0.1 percent.
All the multiples of the Roman ounce have their proper names.
1 ounce =
uncia
7 ounces =
septunx
2 ounces =
sextans
8 ounces =
bes
3 ounces =
quadrans
9 ounces =
dodrans
4 ounces =
trians
10 ounces =
dextans
5 ounces =
quincunx
11 ounces =
deunx
6 ounces =
semis
12 ounces =
as
One and a half ounce was called by Romans : "sescuncia". Some of these nouns were used to designate Roman bronze coins.
Roman commerce was the engine that drove the growth of the Roman Empire.
Whereas in theory members of the Roman Senate and their families were prohibited from engaging in trade, the members of the Equestrian order were involved in businesses, despite their upper class values that laid the emphasis on military pursuits and leisure activities.
The abacus, using Roman numerals, was ideally suited to the counting of Roman currency and tallying of Romanmeasures.
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