A Short Grammar of Classical Greek: Part III - Measures, Weights and Coins

§215

THE MOST COMMON GRECIAN MEASURES, WEIGHTS AND COINS.

THE MOST COMMON GRECIAN MEASURES, WEIGHTS AND COINS.

§1

MEASURES OF LENGTH.

MEASURES OF LENGTH.

στάδιον	πλέθρα	ὀργυιαί	πήχεις	πόδες	Meters	Feet
1	5	100	333 1/3	500	164	540
-	1 πλέθρον	20	66 2/3	100	32.8	108
-	-	1 ὀργυιά	3 1/3	5	1.64	5.4
-	-	-	1 πῆχυς	1 1/2	.492	1.6
-	-	-	-	1 πούς	.328	1.08

The above stadium was the itinerary stadium which was somewhat shorter than other stadia.

Page 171

MEASURES, WEIGHTS AND COINS.

The Olympic stadium = 600 ft., reckoning .32 m to the foot, = 192 m = 629 ft.

The Greek-Roman stadium = 600 ft., reckoning .29 m to the foot, = 178 m = 584 ft.

1 Parasang = 30 stadia = 4.92 km = 3.05 miles = an hour's march.

στάδιον	πλέθρα	ὀργυιαί	πήχεις	πόδες	Meters	Feet
1	5	100	333 1/3	500	164	540
-	1 πλέθρον	20	66 2/3	100	32.8	108
-	-	1 ὀργυιά	3 1/3	5	1.64	5.4
-	-	-	1 πῆχυς	1 1/2	.492	1.6
-	-	-	-	1 πούς	.328	1.08

The above stadium was the itinerary stadium which was somewhat shorter than other stadia.

Page 171

MEASURES, WEIGHTS AND COINS.

The Olympic stadium = 600 ft., reckoning .32 m to the foot, = 192 m = 629 ft.

The Greek-Roman stadium = 600 ft., reckoning .29 m to the foot, = 178 m = 584 ft.

1 Parasang = 30 stadia = 4.92 km = 3.05 miles = an hour's march.

§2

MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

Dry Measures.

μέδιμνος	χοῖνικες	Approximate gallons	Approximate pints
1	48	12	-
-	1 χοῖνιξ	-	2

Liquid Measures.

μετρητής	χόες	κοτύλαι	Approximate gallons	Approximate pints
1	12	144	9	-
-	1 χοῦς	12	-	6
-	-	1 κοτύλη	-	1/2

Dry Measures.

μέδιμνος	χοῖνικες	Approximate gallons	Approximate pints
1	48	12	-
-	1 χοῖνιξ	-	2

Liquid Measures.

μετρητής	χόες	κοτύλαι	Approximate gallons	Approximate pints
1	12	144	9	-
-	1 χοῦς	12	-	6
-	-	1 κοτύλη	-	1/2

§3

WEIGHTS AND COINS.

WEIGHTS AND COINS.

τάλαντον	μναῖ	δραχμαί	ὀβολοί	Grammes	Grains	Dollars	Cents
1	60	6000	36,000	26,400 =	405,000	1080	-
-	1 μνᾶ	100	600	440 =	6750	18	-
-	-	1 δραχμή	6	4.40 =	67.5	-	18
-	-	-	1 ὀβολός	.73 =	11.2	-	3

The ratio of gold to silver was 10 or (in commerce) 12 to 1.

The Persian Δαρεικός (στατήρ) was exactly one Attic gold stater = about $5.40.

Besides the above weights and coins of the Solonian coinage, the ancient Aeginetan commercial weights were in vogue still at the early Roman period. Of the latter, a talent = 36,156 grammes, a mina = 602.6 gr., a drachma = 6.03 gr.

τάλαντον	μναῖ	δραχμαί	ὀβολοί	Grammes	Grains	Dollars	Cents
1	60	6000	36,000	26,400 =	405,000	1080	-
-	1 μνᾶ	100	600	440 =	6750	18	-
-	-	1 δραχμή	6	4.40 =	67.5	-	18
-	-	-	1 ὀβολός	.73 =	11.2	-	3

The ratio of gold to silver was 10 or (in commerce) 12 to 1.

The Persian Δαρεικός (στατήρ) was exactly one Attic gold stater = about $5.40.

Besides the above weights and coins of the Solonian coinage, the ancient Aeginetan commercial weights were in vogue still at the early Roman period. Of the latter, a talent = 36,156 grammes, a mina = 602.6 gr., a drachma = 6.03 gr.