A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

by William Smith

Z

ZĂCŎRI. [[Aeditui].]

ZĒTĒTAE (ζητηταί), Inquisitors, were extraordinary officers, appointed by the Athenians to discover the authors of some crime against the state, and bring them to justice. They were more frequently appointed to search for confiscated property, the goods of condemned criminals and state debtors; to receive and give information against any persons who concealed, or assisted in concealing them, and to deliver an inventory of all such goods (ἀπογράφειν) to the proper authorities.

ZŌNA, also called CINGŬLUM (ζώνη, ζῶμα, ζωστῆρ, μίτρα), a girdle or zone, worn about the loins by both sexes. The chief use of this article of dress was to hold up the tunic (ζώννυσθαι), which was more especially requisite to be done when persons were at work, on a journey, or engaged in hunting. The zona is also represented in many statues and pictures of men in armour as worn round the cuirass. The girdle, mentioned by Homer, seems to have been a constituent part of the cuirass, serving to fasten it by means of a buckle, and also affording an additional protection to the body, and having a short kind of petticoat attached to it, as is shown in the figure of the Greek warrior in [p. 240]. The cut at p. 4 shows that the ancient cuirass did not descend low enough to secure that part of the body which was covered by the ornamental kilt or petticoat. To supply this defect was the design of the mitra (μίτρα), a brazen belt lined probably on the inside with leather and stuffed with wool, which was worn next to the body. Men used their girdles to hold money instead of a purse. As the girdle was worn to hold up the garments for the sake of business or of work requiring despatch, so it was loosened and the tunic was allowed to fall down to the feet to indicate the opposite condition, and more especially in preparing to perform a sacrifice (veste recincta), or funeral rites (discincti, incinctae). A girdle was worn by young women, even when their tunic was not girt up, and removed on the day of marriage, and therefore called ζώνη παρθενική.

ZŌPHŎRUS (ζωφόρος or διάζωμα), the frieze of an entablature.

TABLES
OF
GREEK AND ROMAN MEASURES, WEIGHTS, AND MONEY.

---

Table		Page
I.	Greek Measures of Length.
	(1) Smaller Measures	[424]
II.	Roman Measures of Length.
	(1) Smaller Measures	[424]
III.	Greek Measures of Length.
	(2) Land and Itinerary	[425]
IV.	Roman Measures of Length.
	(2) Land and Itinerary	[426]
V.	Greek Measures of Surface	[426]
VI.	Roman Measures of Surface	[427]
VII.	Greek Measures of Capacity.
	(1) Liquid Measures	[428]
VIII.	Roman Measures of Capacity.
	(1) Liquid Measures	[429]
IX.	Greek Measures of Capacity.
	(2) Dry Measures	[430]
X.	Roman Measures of Capacity.
	(2) Dry Measures	[430]
XI.	Greek Weights	[431]
XII.	Greek Money	[432]
XIII.	Roman Weights.
	(1) The As and its Uncial Divisions	[433]
XIV.	Roman Weights.
	(2) Subdivisions of the Uncia	[433]
XV.	Roman Money.
	(1) Before Augustus	[434]
XVI.	Roman Money.
	(2) After Augustus	[434]

TABLE I.
GRECIAN MEASURES OF LENGTH.

I. Smaller Measures.

Feet.

Inches.

Δάκτυλος

”

·7584375

2

Κόνδυλος

”

1·516875

4

2

Παλαιστή, Δῶρον, Δοχμή, or Δακτυλοδοχμή

”

3·03375

8

4

2

Διχάς, or Ἡμιπόδιον

”

6·0675

10

5

2½

1¼

Διχάς

”

7·584375

11

5½

2¾

1⅜

11/10

Ὀρθοδῶρον

”

8·3428125

12

6

3

1½

1⅕

11/11

Σπιθαμή

”

9·10125

16

8

4

2

1⅗

15/11

1⅓

ΠΟῩΣ

1

0·135

18

9

4½

2¼

1⅘

17/11

1½

1⅛

Πυγμή

1

1·651875

20

10

5

2½

2

19/11

1⅔

1¼

11/9

Πυγών

1

3·16875

24

12

6

3

2⅖

22/11

2

1½

1⅓

1⅕

ΠΗΧΥΣ

1

6·2025

72

36

18

9

7⅕

66/11

6

4½

4

3⅗

3

Ξύλον

4

6·6075

96

48

24

12

9⅗

88/11

8

6

5⅓

4⅘

4

1⅓

ὈΡΓΥΙΆ

6

0·81

N.B.—Approximate Values. From the above Table, it will be seen that the Greek Foot, Cubit, and Orguia, only exceed the English Foot, Foot and a half, and Fathom, by about 1-10th, 2-10ths, and 8-10ths of an inch respectively.

TABLE II.
ROMAN MEASURES OF LENGTH.

I. Smaller Measures.							Feet.	Inches.
Digitus							”	·7281
1⅓	[Uncia] or Pollex						”	·9708
4	3	Palmus					”	2·9124
12	9	3	Palmus Major (of late times)				”	8·7372
16	12	4	1⅓	[Pes]			”	11·6496
20	15	5	1⅔	1¼	Palmipes		1	2·562
24	18	6	2	1½	1⅕	[Cubitus]	1	5·4744

N.B.—Approximate Values. The Roman Uncia, Pes, and Cubitus only fall short of our Inch, Foot, and Foot and a half, by less than 1-10th, 4-10ths, and 6-10ths of an inch respectively.

TABLE III.
GRECIAN MEASURES OF LENGTH.

II. Larger Measures.—Land and Itinerary.[4]														Miles.	Feet.	Inches.
ΠΟΥΣ														”	1	0·135
1½	ΠΗΧΥΣ													”	1	6·2025
2½	1⅔	Βῦμα												”	2	6·3375
6	4	2⅖	ὈΡΓΥΙΆ											”	6	0·81
10	6⅔	4	1⅔	Κάλαμος, Ἄκαινα, or Δεκάπους										”	10	1·35
60	40	24	10	6	Ἄμμα									”	60	8·1
100	66⅔	40	16⅔	10	1⅔	Πλέθρον								”	101	1·5
600	400	240	100	60	10	6	ΣΤΆΔΙΟΝ or ΣΤΆΔΙΟΣ							”	606	9
1200	800	480	200	120	20	12	2	Δίαυλος						”	1213	6
2400	1600	960	400	240	40	24	4	2	Ἱππικόν					”	2427	”
4800	3200	1920	800	480	80	48	8	4	2	[Roman Mile] (μίλιον)				”	4854	”
18,000	12,000	7200	3000	1800	300	180	30	15	7½	3¾	Παρασάγγης			3	2362	6
36,000	24,000	14,400	6000	3600	600	360	60	30	15	7½	2	Σχοῖνος		6	4735	”
360,000	240,000	144,000	60,000	36,000	6000	3600	600	300	150	75	20	10	Degree	68[5]	5110	”

[4] In order to show the relations more clearly, the foreign measures most familiar to the Greeks are included in this Table.

[5] This is, of course, not the true number of English statute miles contained in a degree of a great circle of the earth, but the number computed from the data exhibited in the Table, some of which are only approximate; namely, 1 Degree = 75 Roman miles = 600 Greek Stadia, and 1 Greek foot = 12·135 inches. The true value of a degree in English miles is 69¹/₅₁ = 69·0196, and the difference is only about 7-100ths of a mile.

TABLE IV.
ROMAN MEASURES OF LENGTH.

II. Larger Measures.—Land and Itinerary.									Miles.	Feet.	Inches.
[Pes]									”	”	11·6496
1½	Cubitus								”	1	5·4744
2½	1⅔	Gradus, or Pes Sestertius							”	2	5·124
5	3⅓	2	[Passus]						”	4	10·248
10	6⅔	4	2	Decempeda, or Pertica					”	9	8·496
120	80	48	24	12	Actus (in length)				”	116	5·952
5000	3333⅓	2000	1000	500	41⅔	[Mille Passuum]			”	4854	”
7500	5000	3000	1500	750	62½	1½	Gallic Leuga		1	2003	”
375,000	250,000	150,000	75,000	37,500	3125	75	50	Degree[6]	68	5110	”

N.B.—The Roman mile only differs from the English by less than 1-10th.

[6] See [Note to Table III].

TABLE V.
GRECIAN MEASURES OF SURFACE.

Ordinary Land Measures.							Perches.	Square Feet.
ΠΟΥΣ (Square Foot)							”	1·0226
36	Ἑξαπόδης						”	36·81456
100	27/9	Ἄκαινα (Square of the καλαμος)					”	102·26266
833⅓	234/27	8⅓	Ἡμίεκτος				3	35·439
1666⅔	468/27	16⅔	2	Ἕκτος			6	70·877
2500	694/9	25	3	1½	Ἄρουρα		9	106·318
10,000	2777/9	100	12	6	4	ΠΛΈΘΡΟΝ	37	153·02[7]

[7] This differs from a rood, or a quarter of an acre, by little more than 2 perches; for the rood contains 40 perches.

TABLE VI.
ROMAN MEASURES OF SURFACE.

Ordinary Land Measures.										Acres.	Roods.	Perches.	Square Feet.
[Pes Quadratus]										”	”	”	·9445
100	Scrupulum, or Decempeda Quadrata									”	”	”	94·245
480	4⅘	[Actus Simplex]								”	”	1	180·127
2400	24	5	Uncia[8]							”	”	8	83·885
3600	36	7½	1½	Clima						”	”	12	125·83
14,400	144	30	6	4	[Actus Quadratus]					”	1	9	231·07
28,800	288	60	12	8	2	[Jugerum]				”	2	19	189·89[9]
57,600	576	120	24	16	4	2	Heredium			1	0	39	107·53[10]
5,760,000	57,600	12,000	2400	1600	400	200	100	Centuria		124	2	19	135·25
23,040,000	230,400	48,000	9600	6400	1600	800	400	4	Saltus	498	1	37	268·75[11]

[8] The As to which this Uncia and the above Scrupulum belong is the Jugerum. The other uncial divisions of the Jugerum may easily be calculated from the Uncia. The Semissis is, of course, the Actus Quadratus.

[9] i.e. almost 5-8ths of an acre.

[10] i.e. almost an acre and a quarter.

[11] i.e. almost 500 acres.

TABLE VII.
GRECIAN MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

I. Attic Liquid Measures.												Gallons.	Pints.	Approximate.[12]
														Gallons.	Pints.
Κοχλιάριον												“	·008	”	1/120
2	Χήμη											“	·016	”	1/60
2½	1¼	Μύστρον										“	·02	”	1/48
5	2½	2	Κόγχη									“	·04	”	1/24
10	5	4	2	ΚΎΑΘΟΣ								“	·08	”	1/12
15	1½	6	3	1½	Ὀξύβαφον							“	·12	”	⅛
30	15	12	6	3	2	Τέταρτον						“	·24	”	¼
60	30	24	12	6	4	2	Κοτύλη, Τρυβλίον or Ἡμίνα					“	·48	”	½
120	60	48	24	12	8	4	2	ΞΈΣΤΗΣ (Sextarius)				“	·96	”	1
720	360	288	144	72	48	24	12	6	ΧΟΥΣ			“	5·76	”	6
5760	2880	2304	1152	576	384	192	96	48	8	Roman Amphora (κεράμιον)		5	6·08	6	”
8640	4320	3456	1728	864	576	288	144	72	12	1½	ΑΜΦΟΡΕΥΣ ΜΕΤΡΗΤΗΣ	8	5·12	9	”

N.B.—The Aeginetan measures of capacity may be easily calculated from these, according to the ratio given under [Quadrantal].

[12] As the Sextarius differs from the English pint by only 1-25th part of the latter, it will be found useful, in ordinary rough calculations, to take it at exactly a pint, and so with the other measures in this table. The results thus obtained may be corrected by subtracting from each of them its 1-25th part.

TABLE VIII.
ROMAN MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

I. Liquid Measures.										Gallons.	Pints.	Approximate.[13]
												Gallons.	Pints.
Ligula										”	·02	”	1/48
4	[Cyathus][14]									”	·08	”	1/12
6	1½	Acetabulum								”	·12	”	⅛
12	3	2	Quartarius, i.e. 1-4th of the Sextarius							”	·24	”	¼
24	6	4	2	Hemina or Cotyla						”	·48	”	½
48	12	8	4	2	[Sextarius], i.e. 1-6th of the Congius					”	·96	”	1
288	72	48	24	12	6	[Congius]				”	5·76	”	6
1152	288	192	96	48	24	4	Urna			2	7·04	3	”
2304	576	384	192	96	48	8	2	[Amphora Quadrantal]		5	6·08	6	”
46,080	11,520	7680	3840	1920	960	160	40	20	Culeus	115	1·6	120	”

[13] See the [Note to Table VII]

[14] According to the uncial division, the Sextarius was the As, and the Cyathus the Uncia.

TABLE IX.
GRECIAN MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

II. Attic Dry Measures.									Gallons.	Pints.	Approximate.[15]
											Gallons.	Pints.
Κοχλιάριον									”	·008	”	1/120
10	ΚΎΑΘΟΣ								”	·08	”	1/12
15	1½	Ὀξύβαφον							”	·12	”	⅛
60	6	4	ΚΟΤΎΛΗ or Ἡμίνα						”	·48	”	½
120	12	8	2	ΞΈΣΤΗΣ (Sextarius)					”	·96	”	1
240	24	16	4	2	ΧΟΙΝΙΞ				”	1·92	”	2[16]
960	96	64	16	8	4	Ἡμίεκτον			”	7·68	1	”
1920	192	128	32	16	8	2	Ἕκτος (equal to the Roman Modius.)		1	7·36	2	”
11,520	1152	768	192	96	48	12	6	ΜΈΔΙΜΝΟΣ	11	4·16	12[17]	”

[15] See the [Note to Table VII].

[16] Or one quart.

[17] Or one bushel and a half.

N.B.—Respecting the Aeginetan Measures, see the Note to [Table VII].

TABLE X.
ROMAN MEASURES OF CAPACITY.

II. Dry Measures.								Gallons.	Pints.	Approximate.[18]
										Gallons.	Pints.
Ligula								”	·02	”	1/48
4	[Cyathus][19]							”	·08	”	1/12
6	1½	Acetabulum						”	·12	”	⅛
12	3	2	Quartarius, i.e. 1-4th of the Sextarius					”	·24	”	¼
24	6	4	2	Hemina, or Cotyla				”	·48	”	½
48	12	8	4	2	[Sextarius], i.e. 1-6th of the Congius			”	·96	”	1
384	96	64	32	16	8	Semimodius		”	7·68	1	”
768	192	128	64	32	16	2	[Modius]	1	7·36	2[20]	”

[18] See the [Note to Table VII].

[19] See the [Note to Table VIII].

[20] Or a quarter of a bushel.

TABLE XI.
GRECIAN WEIGHTS.

1. Ratios of the three chief Systems.
Aeginetan : Euboic or old Attic	::	6	:	5
Aeginetan : Solonian or later Attic	::	5	:	3
Euboic : Solonian	::	1388/9	:	100
	or ::	100	:	72
	or ::	25	:	18

The Aeginetan Talent	= 6000 Aeginetan Drachmae	= 7200 Euboic	= 10,000 Solonian
Euboic ”	= 5000 ”	= 6000 ”	= 8,333⅓ ”
Solonian[21] ”	= 3600 ”	= 4320 ”	= 6,000 ”

[21] Also called the Attic Silver Talent. When Attic weights are spoken of without any further distinction, these are generally intended.

2. Aeginetan Weights.				Exact.[22]			Approximate.
				lb.	oz.	grs.	lb.	oz.	grs.
Obol (Ὀβολος)				”	”	18·4722/9	”	”	20
6	Drachma (Δραχμή)			”	”	110·83⅛	”	¼	”
600	100	Mina (Μνᾶ)		1	9	145·83⅓[23]	1⅔	”	”
36,000	6000	60	Talent (Τάλαντον)	95	”	”	100	”	”

[22] In this and the other tables the English weights used are those of the avoirdupois scale as fixed by statute; namely, the grain = the Troy grain, the ounce = 437½ grains, the pound = 16 ounces = 7000 grains.

[23] Or ⅓ of an oz.

3. Euboic or Attic Commercial Weights.				Exact.			Approximate.
				lb.	oz.	grs.	lb.	oz.	grs.
Obol				”	”	15·39814/27	”	”	15½
6	Drachma			”	”	92·36111/9	”	”	93⅓
600	100	Mina		1	5	48·6111/9	1	”	”
36,000	6000	60	Talent	79	2	291·63⅓	80	”	”

4. Attic Commercial Weights increased.	Exact.			Approximate.
	lb.	oz.	grs.	lb.	oz.	grs.
1 Mina = 150 Drachmae (silver)	1	6	350	1½	”	”
5 Minae = 6 Minae (commercial)	7	14	291·6⅔	7½	”	”
1 Talent = 65 Minae (commercial)	88	”	145·8⅓	90	”	”

5. Attic Silver Weights.				Exact.			Approximate.
				lb.	oz.	grs.	lb.	oz.	grs.
Obol				”	”	11·0833⅓	”	”	12
6	Drachma			”	”	66·5	”	”	70
600	100	Mina		”	15	87·5[24]	1	”	”
36,000	6000	60	Talent	57	”	”	60	”	”

[24] Or ⅕ of an oz.

TABLE XII.
GRECIAN MONEY.

I. Attic Copper and Silver.													£.	s.	d.	Farth- ings.
Lepton (Λεπτόν)													”	”	”	·116
7	Chalchus (Χαλκοῦς)												”	”	”	·8125
14	2	Dichalcon, or Quarter Obol (Δίχαλκον)											”	”	”	1·625
28	4	2	Half Obol (Ἡμιοβόλιον)										”	”	”	3·25
56	8	4	2	Obol (Ὀβολός)									”	”	1	2·5
112	16	8	4	2	Diobolus (Διόβολον)								”	”	3	1
168	24	12	6	3	1½	Triobolus (Τριόβολον)							”	”	4	3·5
224	32	16	8	4	2	1⅓	Tetrobolus (Τετρόβολον)						”	”	6	2
336	48	24	12	6	3	2	1½	Drachma[25] (Δραχμή)					”	”	9	3
672	96	48	24	12	6	4	3	2	Didrachm (Δίδραχμον)				”	1	7	2
1344	192	96	48	24	12	8	6	4	2	Tetradrachm (Τετράδραχμον)			”	3	3	”
33,600	4800	2400	1200	600	300	200	150	100	50	25	Mina (Μνᾶ)		4	1	3	”
2,016,000	288,000	144,000	72,000	36,000	18,000	12,000	9000	6000	3000	1500	60	Talent (Τάλαντον)	243	15 [26]	”	”

[25] The Drachma was very nearly equal to the French Franc.

[26] Or, approximately, 250l., the difference being only 1-40th.

II. Aeginetan and Euboic Silver.—The coins of these systems can be easily calculated from the Attic, according to the ratios given in Table XI., No. 1. As thus calculated, the Aeginetan Talent was equal to 406l. 5s., and the Euboic was equal to 338l. 10s. 10d., and the Drachmae were equal respectively to 1s. 4¼d. for the Aeginetan, and 1s. 1½d. + ⅕ of a farthing for the Euboic.

III. Grecian Gold.—The values of the Grecian gold money cannot be conveniently reduced to the tabular form; they will be found in the articles [Stater] and [Dareicus].

TABLE XIII.
ROMAN WEIGHTS.

I. The Uncial Divisions of the Pound.

Avoirdupois Weight.

Oz.

Grs.

[Uncia]

”

430·83⅓ [27]

1½

Sescuncia, or Sescunx

1

203·75

2

1⅓

Sextans

1

404·16⅔

3

2

1½

Quadrans, or Teruncius

2

168·750

4

2⅓

2

1⅓

Triens

3

270·83⅓

5

3⅓

2½

1⅔

1¼

Quincunx

4

354·16⅔

6

4

3

2

1½

1⅕

[Semis], or Semissi

5

337·5

7

4⅓

3½

2⅓

1¾

1⅖

1⅙

Septunx

6

320·33⅓

8

5⅓

4

2⅔

2

1⅗

1⅓

11/7

Bes, or Bessis

7

104·16⅔

9

6

4½

3

2¼

1⅘

1½

12/7

1⅛

Dodrans

8

277·5

10

6⅓

5

3⅓

2½

2

1⅔

13/7

1¼

11/9

Dextrans

9

270·83⅓

11

7⅓

5½

3⅔

2¾

2⅕

1⅚

14/7

1⅜

12/9

11/10

Deunx

10

260·83⅓

12

8

6

4

3

2⅖

2

15/7

1½

1⅓

1⅕

11/11

[As], or [Libra]

11

237·5

[27] This only differs from the ounce avoirdupois by less than 7 grains.

TABLE XIV.
ROMAN WEIGHTS.

II. Subdivisions of the Uncia.										Grains.
Siliqua										2·9224
3	Obolus									8·767361
6	2	[Scrupulum]								17·53472
12	4	2	Semisextula							35·0694
24	8	4	2	Sextula						70·138
36	12	6	3	1½	Sicilicus					105·2083
48	16	8	4	2	1⅓	Duella				140·277
72	24	12	6	3	2	1½	Semuncia			120·416
144	48	24	12	6	4	3	2	[Uncia]		420·833
1728	576	288	144	72	48	36	24	12	[As], or [Libra]	5050

TABLE XV.
ROMAN MONEY.

I. Before the Reign of Augustus: when the Denarius was 1-7th of an Ounce, or about 60 Grains.
1. Copper Coins.								2. Silver Coins.						£.	s.	d.	Farth- ings.
Sextula														”	”	”	·35416
1½	Quadrans							Teruncius						”	”	”	·53125
2	1⅓	Triens												”	”	”	·7083
3	2	1½	Semissis					2	Sembella					”	”	”	1·0625
6	4	3	2	As				4	2	Libella				”	”	”	2·125
12	8	6	4	2	Dupondius									”	”	1	·25
24	16	12	8	4	2	[Sestertius]		16	8	4	[Sestertius]			”	”	2	·5
48	32	24	16	8	4	2		32	16	8	2	Quinarius		”	”	4	1
96	64	48	32	16	8	4		24	32	16	4	2	[Denarius]	”	”	8	2
3. Gold Coins. [Aureus][28] (value in proportion to Roman Silver)														”	17	8	2
							(value in English current Coin)							1	1	1	2
4. Money of Account (not a Coin).[Sestertium], or Mille Nummi														8	17	1	”

[28] For the subdivisions of the gold money, see [Aurum].

TABLE XVI.
ROMAN MONEY.

II. After the Reign of Augustus: when the Denarius was 1-8th of an Ounce, or 52·5 Grains.									£.	s.	d.	Farth- ings.
Sextula									”	”	”	·3125
1½	Quadrans								”	”	”	·46875
2	1⅓	Triens							”	”	”	·625
3	2	1½	Semissis						”	”	”	·9375
6	4	3	2	As					”	”	”	1·875
12	8	6	4	2	Dupondius				”	”	”	3·75
24	16	12	8	4	2	[Sestertius]			”	”	1	3·5
48	32	24	16	8	4	2	Quinarius, or Victoriatus		”	”	3	3
96	64	48	32	16	8	4	2	Denarius	”	”	7	2
[Aureus], reckoned at 25 Denarii									”	15	7	2
” reckoned in English Current Coin									”	18	5	3·25
[Sestertium], or Mille Nummi									7	16	3	”