Men and Measures

by Edward Nicholson

1. The Alexandrian Talent

The standard of this talent has been already given as 93·65 lb., which × 7000 = 655,550 grains.

It was divided on different systems:

1. By the Chaldæans and Egyptians into 60 minás, divided—

(a) On the Chaldæan system into 60 shekels of 182 grains, with a quarter-shekel = 45-1/2 grains.

(b) On the Phœnician, and Hebrew, system into 50 shekels of 218-1/2 grains, with a quarter-shekel = 54·6 grains.

2. By the Greek-Egyptians into 120 minás (or the half or lesser talent into 60 minás) of 100 drachmæ = 54·6 grains.

3. By the Romans into 125 libræ of 12 unciæ (1500 ounces) further divided by the Greeks into 8 drachmæ = 54·6 grains.

Three of these modes of division give a drachma of 54·6 grains. So a Phœnician or Hebrew shekel, a Ptolemaïc tetradrachm and a Roman half-ounce, are of the same weight, differing by only 1/4 grain from our half-ounce, and by only 1/2 grain from our half-crown.

The Alexandrian talent was the Hebrew Kikkar or talent of the sanctuary. In the Chaldæan kingdom the standard measure was the Egyptian royal cubit, and the standard weight was the talent derived from its foot; but the miná appears to have been divided into 60 instead 50 shekels.

The words which Belshazzar saw written on the wall referred to the miná and shekel, or tekel, of this talent. Their meaning may be thus rendered:

Mene, a miná—the great King Nabupalasur, founder of the new Chaldæan Kingdom.

Mene, a miná—the great King Nabukudurusur, son of the preceding.

Tekel, a shekel (of 4 quarters)—Nabunahid (Belshazzar) and his three predecessors, all of small account.

Upharsin, a division, perhaps 2 half-shekels, the Medes and Persians. Or it may simply be the Parsīs or Persians, the enemies at the gate.

This talent is still extant at Bássora (in Chaldæa) as the mánd sofi = 93·22 lb.

The Medimnos.

This was the measure made to hold an Alexandrian talent of wheat. The cubed Egyptian royal foot (probably used as a fluid measure) was increased in the Southern water-wheat ratio of 1 : 1·22. Thus 2605 c.i. × 1·22 = 3176 c.i. and 3176/277·4 = 11·45 gallons as the contents of the Medimnos.

This measure was adopted by the Romans, as well as by the Greeks, as the basis of their corn-measures, doubtless in consequence of the corn-trade from Egypt. A sixth part of it was the Roman Modius.

The Medimnos was divided by the Greeks into 48 Choinix, or into 96 Xestes (L. sextarius) = 0·95 Imperial pint or 19 fluid ounces.