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A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

Chapter 31: TABLE III. GRECIAN MEASURES OF LENGTH.
By William Smith
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About This Book

An abridged alphabetical reference of Greek and Roman antiquities provides concise entries on the material culture, public institutions, religious rites, law, and everyday life of the classical world. Entries define terms, describe objects and practices, and outline social, political, and military structures, often noting linguistic forms and pronunciation. Illustrations and tables supplement the text, while cross-references and footnotes point to fuller discussions and sources for further study.

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.