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The Greek system of weights and measures was built mainly upon the Egyptian, and formed the basis of the later Roman system.

Generally speaking, standards of measurement within the ancient Greek world varied according to location and epoch. In a city state like Athens, for example, units of measurement evolved as needs changed and sometimes they were radically reformed by influential figures such as Solon. In time, some units of measurement were found to be convenient for trade within the Mediterranean region and these units became more and more common to different city states. Similarly the calibration and use of measuring devices became more sophisticated over time. By about 500 BC, Athens already had its own central depository of official weights and measures — the Tholos [Θόλος] — where merchants were required to test their measuring devices against official standards.

Greek measures of length were based on the relative lengths of body parts, such as the foot and finger segment. The specific values assigned to these units varied according to location and epoch (e.g., in Aegina a foot or pous [ποῦς] (plural: podes [πόδες]) was approximately 13 inches or 333mm, whereas in Athens it was about 11.6 inches or 296mm).^[1] The relative proportions, however, were generally the same throughout the Greek world, and can be summarized in terms of the dactylos [δάκτυλος] (plural: dactyloi [δάκτυλοι]) or finger-breadth, as follows:

The stadion was a customary unit of length for a foot race and became a common measure for many ancient greek city-states. It has since given its name to sporting venues all around the world—in this case, the Athens Olympic Stadium.

2 dactyloi = 1 condylos [κόνδυλος] (middle joint of finger)

4 dactyloi= 1 palaiste [παλαιστή], or doron [δῶρον] (palm)

8 dactyloi= 1 dichas [διχάς], or hemipodion [ἡμιπόδιον] (half foot)

10 dactyloi= 1 lichas [λιχάς] (span of thumb and first finger)

11 dactyloi = 1 orthodoron [ὀρθόδωρον]^[2]

12 dactyloi= 1 spithame [σπιθαμή] (span of all fingers)

16 dactyloi= 1 pous (foot)

18 dactyloi= 1 pygme [πυγμή] (elbow to start of fingers)

20 dactyloi = 1 pygon [πυγών]^[2]

24 dactyloi = 1 pechys [πῆχυς] (cubit, i.e. elbow to finger tips)

27 dactyloi = 1 pechys basileios [πῆχυς βασιλήιος] (royal cubit)

From the pous derived:

2.5 podes = 1 aploun bema [ἀπλοῦν βῆμα] (single pace)

5 podes = 1 diploun bema [διπλοῦν βῆμα] (double pace)^[2]

6 podes = 1 orgyia [ὀργυιά] (fathom or stretch of both arms)

10 podes = 1 akaina [ἄκαινα]^[2]

100 podes= 1 plethron [πλέθρον] (breadth of the Greek acre)

600 podes = 1 stadion [στάδιον]

The Attic stadion had length 184.98 m, the Olympic stadion 192.27 m, and the walking stadion 157.50 m.^[2] From the stadion (plural: stadia [στάδια]) derived:

2 stadia = 1 diaulos [δίαυλος]

4 stadia = 1 hippikon [ἱππικόν]

12 stadia = 1 dolichos [δόλιχος]

30 walking stadia = 1 parasanges [παρασάγγες] (adopted from Persia)

40 walking stadia = 1 schoinos [σχοινός] (adopted from Egypt)

Greeks measured volume according to either dry or liquid capacity, suited respectively to measuring grain and wine. A common unit in both measures throughout historic Greece was the cotyle whose absolute value varied from one place to another between 210mL and 330mL (or 7.4-11.6 fl. oz.)^[3] :

Dry Measure

4 cotylai = 1 choenix (in Athens, approximately 1 day's corn ration for a single man)

8 choeniches = 1 hecteus

6 hecteis = 1 medimnos

Liquid Measure

6 cotylai = 1 hemichous

12 cotylai = 1 chous

12 choes = 1 metretes (approximately a wine amphora)

The basic unit of Athenian currency was the obol:

An obol, Attica, Athens. After 449 BC

1 drachma (plural drachmae) = 6 obols

1 stater = 2 drachmae

1 mina (plural minae) = 100 drachmae

1 talent = 60 minae

Weights are often associated with currency since units of currency involve prescribed amounts of a given metal. Thus for example the English pound has been both a unit of weight and a unit of currency. Greek weights similarly bear a nominal resemblance to Greek currency yet the origin of the Greek standards of weights is often disputed ^[4]. There were two dominant standards of weight in the eastern Mediterranean - a standard that originated in Euboea and that was subsequently introduced to Attica by Solon, and also a standard that originated in Aegina. The Attic/Euboean standard was supposedly based on the barley corn, of which there were supposedly twelve to one obol. However, weights that have been retrieved by historians and archeologists show considerable variations from theoretical standards. A table of standards derived from theory has been represented by some scholars as follows ^[5]:

Denomination	Attic/Euboic Standard	Aeginetic Standard
1 obol	0.72g	1.05g
1 drachma (=6 obols)	4.31g	6.3g
1 mina (=100 drachmae)	431g	630g
1 talent (=60 minae)	25.86kg	37.8kg

1 plethron: traditionally the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plough in one day (approximately 4 English acres); more specifically, it was any area equal to the area of a square each of whose sides is 100 podes or 1 plethron in length ^[6].

Athenians measured the day by sundials. Periods during night or day could be measured by a water clock (clepsydra) that dripped at a steady rate. Whereas the day in our Gregorian calendar commences just after midnight, the Greek day began just after sunset. The Athenian year was divided into 12 months, with one additional month (poseideon deuteros, 30 days) being inserted between the sixth and seventh months every second year. Even with this intercalary month, the Athenian or Attic calendar was still fairly inaccurate and days had occasionally to be added by the Archon Basileus. The start of the year was at the summer solstice (previously it had been at the winter solstice) and months were named after Athenian religious festivals (in brackets, the approximate corresponding months in our contemporary Gregorian calendar):

This section of a frieze from the Elgin Marbles shows a cavalry procession that was part of the quadrennial Greater Panathenaic festival, always held in the month Hekatombion.

1. Hekatombaeon [Ἐκατομβαιών] (June-July, 30 days)
2. Metageitnion [Μεταγειτνιών] (July-Aug, 29 days)
3. Boedromion [Βοηδρομιών] (Aug-Sept, 30 days)
4. Pyanepsion [Πυανεψιών) (Sept-Oct, 30 days)
5. Maimakterion [Μαιμακτηριών] (Oct-Nov, 29 days)
6. Poseideon [Ποσειδεών] (Nov-Dec, 30 days)
7. Gamelion [Γαμηλιών] (Dec-Jan, 30 days)
8. Anthesterion [Ἀνθεστηριών] (Jan-Feb, 29 days)
9. Elaphebolion [Ἐλαφηβολιών] (Feb-March, 30 days)
10. Mοunichion [Μουνιχιών, Μουνυχιών] (March-April, 29 days)
11. Thargelion [Θαργηλιών] (April-May, 30 days)
12. Skirophorion [Σκιροφοριών] (May-June, 29 days)

• Stadia rod
• Systems of measurement
• Obsolete units of measure

• History 310: Greek Coinage and Measures. History/Classics 310. Retrieved on December 15, 2005.
• Porter, John. Greek and Roman Weights, Measures and Currency. Retrieved on July 26, 2007.
• Lahanas, Michael. Measurement. Retrieved on July 26, 2007.