Before the development of the metric system, which we use today, many cultures used their own systems of measurement. These ancient systems were often based on natural objects or human anatomy, and they varied from region to region.
Babylonian System
The Babylonians, one of the earliest advanced civilizations, used a base-60 system (sexagesimal system). This system is thought to have originated in ancient Sumer, and it was later adopted by the Babylonians. The base-60 system was used for measuring time, angles, and even weight.
* Time: The Babylonians divided the day into 24 hours, each hour into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds. This system is still used today.
* Angles: The Babylonians divided the circle into 360 degrees, each degree into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds. This system is also still used today.
* Weight: The Babylonians used several different units of weight, including the shekel, the mina, and the talent. The shekel was equal to about 8.4 grams, the mina was equal to about 504 grams, and the talent was equal to about 30 kilograms.
Egyptian System
The Egyptians used a decimal system, meaning that it was based on the number 10. Their units of measurement were based on natural objects, such as the cubit, the palm, and the finger.
* Length: The cubit was the primary unit of length, and it was equal to about 52.4 centimeters. The cubit was divided into 24 digits, each digit equal to about 2.18 centimeters.
* Area: The Egyptians used several units of area, including the square cubit, the aroura, and the setat. The square cubit was equal to about 2749 square centimeters, the aroura was equal to about 2756 square meters, and the setat was equal to about 900 square meters.
* Volume: The Egyptians used several units of volume, including the cubic cubit, the hin, and the hekat. The cubic cubit was equal to about 8029 cubic centimeters, the hin was equal to about 0.47 liters, and the hekat was equal to about 4.5 liters.
Roman System
The Romans used a system of measurement that was similar to the Egyptian system, but it also incorporated some elements of the Greek system. The Roman system was used throughout the Roman Empire and influenced many other systems of measurement.
* Length: The Roman foot was the primary unit of length and it was equal to about 29.6 centimeters. The foot was divided into 12 inches, each inch equal to about 2.47 centimeters.
* Area: The Romans used several units of area, including the square foot, the acre, and the jugerum. The square foot was equal to about 878 square centimeters, the acre was equal to about 4047 square meters, and the jugerum was equal to about 2523 square meters.
* Volume: The Romans used several units of volume, including the cubic foot, the amphora, and the modius. The cubic foot was equal to about 28,316 cubic centimeters, the amphora was equal to about 26 liters, and the modius was equal to about 8.7 liters.
Conversion Chart
The following chart shows the approximate conversions between some of the ancient units of measurement and the metric system.
| Ancient Unit | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Babylonian cubit | 51.8 centimeters |
| Egyptian cubit | 52.4 centimeters |
| Roman foot | 29.6 centimeters |
| Babylonian shekel | 8.4 grams |
| Egyptian shekel | 9.1 grams |
| Roman pound | 327 grams |
| Babylonian mina | 504 grams |
| Egyptian mina | 420 grams |
| Roman libra | 327 grams |
| Babylonian talent | 30 kilograms |
| Egyptian talent | 26 kilograms |
| Roman talent | 32.7 kilograms |