HERODOTEAN WEIGHTS AND MONEY, DRY AND LIQUID MEASURES, AND MEASUREMENTS OF LENGTH.

Eubœic or Attic Silver Weights and Money.

WEIGHT (Avoirdupois).VALUE
lbs.oz.grs.
1Obol——11.08$.033
6Obols1 Drachma——66.5 .198
100Drachmæ1 Mina—15 33.7519.784
60Minæ1 Talent5615¼100.321187.00

Æginetan Silver Weights and Money.

lbs.oz.grs.
1Obol——16 $.04½
6Obols1 Drachma——96 27.00
100Drachmæ1 Mina15¾78.96—
60Minæ1 Talent823¾30.461620.00

The gold Stater of Crœsus and the gold Daric are each supposed to be worth about 20 Attic silver drachmæ, or about $4.00 in our money.

Herodotus makes the Babylonian Talent equal to 70 Eubœic Minæ, but Hussey calculates its weight at 71lbs. 1½oz. 69.45grs. If, however, these are reckoned by comparison with our gold money, they are worth much more.

Attic Dry Measures.

Gallons.Quarts.
1Chœnix—1
48Chœnices1 Medimnus12—
1Medimnus and
3 Chœnices
1 Persian Artaba123

Liquid Measures.

Gallons.Pints.
1Chœnix—1½
48Chœnices1 Amphora9—

Hesychius considers the Aryster to be the same as the Cotyla, which Hussey calculates to hold half a pint.

Measures of Length.

Miles.Yards.Feet.Inches.
1Digit (finger's breadth)———.7584
4Digits1 Palm (hand-breadth)———3.0336
3Palms1 Span———9.1008
4Palms1 Foot——10.135
2Spans or 6 Palms1 Cubit——16.2016
1Cubit and 6 Digits1 Royal Cubit——18.4768
4Cubits1 Fathom (Orgya)——60.81
100Feet or 16⅔ Orgyæ1 Plethrum—3321.5
6Plethra1 Stadium—20209
30Stadia1 Persian Parasang378716
2Parasangs1 Schœnus6½49430

The Egyptian Cubit contained nearly 17¾ inches.

The Arura contained 21,904 square English feet, or a fraction over half an acre.


UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME.