Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

752 AMENSURA. MENSITRA.
whole hand from the wrist to the tips of the fin.l tiples of a foot, yet it is obvious that convex
gers: the XlXds or distance firom the tip of the nience would demand higher denominatiols, one
thumb to the tip of the forefinger (XLXavo's) when of which would be regarded as a new unit.
extended, the lesser span; the 7r6-wov and 7rwyju Nay, these higher measures may be viewed,
were modifications of the 7r7Xus, the 7royws being with respect to their origin, as in some sense intlhe distance from the elbow to the fingers when dependent of those smaller measures, with which
beet, that is, to the knuckle joints, the 7ruyu/ from they were afterwards made to agree. For, just as
the fingers when shut, that is, to the joints at their we have seen that the smaller measures of length
base. Other writers mention the cdv3vuAos, knuckle, are taken from natural objects, so we shall find
as equal to two T'cKruAXo. that, at an early period, the larger measures were
In practical use, such a system as this is suffi- not derived artificially from the smaller, but were
cient for many ordinary purposes, and every one is taken from distances which occur in nature and in
familiar with examples of the use of such mea- ordinary life. Thus, Homer expresses distances
sures in their plain physical sense. But, to make by the cast of a stone (II. ii. 12; and so even il
a system definite, two things are required; nlamely, later times, Thuc. v. 65, Polyb. v. 6), of a quoit
to fix upon a precise invariable standard for the (II. xxiii. 431), and of a spear (11. x. 357, xv. 358,
unit, or principal measure in the system, for which xxiii. 529), and by the still more indefinite descripthe foot was naturally chosen; and, secondly, to tion, " as far as a man is heard clearly when he
determine the precise relations which the several shouts" (Od. vi. 294, v. 400, et alib.), and again
measures bear to the foot and to one another. The by a standard derived from agriculture, which it is
former of these points we reserve for the present, important to notice in comparison with the Romlall
mnerely observing that the foot in each system was actzs (I. x. 352; see below.) Of still longer distances
not velyfsr from ours; the latter was accomplished time was made the measure; the journey of a day,
according to the followilng system, which will be or of a day and night, on foot, with a horse, or with
found to express, not only the relations actually a ship; a system too frequently employed now, as
adopted by the Greeks and Romans, but also very weli as in ancient times, to need the citation of exsearly those which really exist between the parts amples for its illustration. (Comp. Ukert, Geog.
in a well-made man, especially according to the d. Griech. u. RmTn. vol. i. pt. 2, pp. 54, 55.) The
standard of the Ronman foot. It is worth while system of measurement by stations or posts should
also to observe the general accordance, which re- probably be referred to this head, as it is most
sults from this method of invention, between the likely that such distances would be fixed according
metrical systems of all nations. to the strength of man or horse before the trouble
The Greek and Roman systems are identical in was taken actually to measure them out. Another
their modes of connecting the measures which are plan was that which IHerodotus several times adopts,
common to the two; but, to avoid confusion, they and which is also familiar to all ages, the descripare exhibited separately. tion of one distance by comparing it with another,
1. In the Greek system which was well known. It is true that in many
4 digits.make. a pam. cases this method is evidently only general and ill.
3 palms. ". a span. definite, as when Herodotus describes the length
4 palms. ". a foot. of the Nile as equal to that of the Danube, but
1- spans. " a foot. there are other cases in which the method wvas
2 spans. ". a cubit. definite; and especially one case, in which it
l I feet.. a cubit. actually formed the foundation of the common sys2o feet. a step. tern of itinerary measures among the Greeks. We
4 cubits. c'. an opyTnd orfjeblthlose.* refer, of course, to the length of' the Olympic f. ot6 feet. " an rpyv or fathom.'rce-con'sse, or STAnDIU, after which all the other
2. In the Romass system - Greek stadia were measured out, and which thus
4 digits.. make a palnm. formed a universally familiar standard of reference
4 palms. ".. a foot. for itinerary measurements. WThether the Olympic
1I feet i. a cubit. stadium was originally measured out precisely equal
2l feet cc a step. to 600 feet, or whether, having been accidentally
5 feet.. se a pace. (or at least loosely) assumed, it was found to be so
nearly equal to 600 feet, that the measure derived
It will be observed that in this account of the from it was taken at exactly 600 feet, it is now imGreek and Roman systems nothing has been said possible to determine. WVe think the latter more
of the iech. It was not a measure derived from probable; but, whichever may be the truth, the
the human body, but a subdivision which the point now insisted upon is not affected, namely,
Romans made of their foot, as they were accus- that when an early Greek writer expressed a distolned to subdivide any unit whatsoever, according tance in stadia, he did not mean to suggest to his
to the analogy of the uncial division of the As. readers the idea of so mlany times 600 feet, but of
A smore complete view of the Greek and Roman so many times the length of the actual objective
measures of length, with their values, reduced to Olympic stadium, with which they were all familiar.
our system, will be found in the Tables appended The corresponding feature in the Roman system
to this work. firnishes an interesting illustration of the differences
2. Itinerary Measzses. - For the higher mea- of national character. The military notions, which
sures of length, although the continuity of the lie at the basis of so many of their institutions, are
systema was preserved by maaking them exact mul- at once recognised in their maile, the thousand paces
of a foot-march.
-s This word is used as beino about the ualzue of 3. Lcand lMeeasur'es. - Another distinct source
the measure, for want of an English word to ex- of the greater measures of length is to be found
press its metsinzg. in the necessity which arises at an early period in