M E N S U R A E
Weights and measures
Latin terms used by Cato (italic)
| English approximations used in this translation (roman) | Metric equivalent | Imperial equivalent | |
| Linear measure | 1 foot (pes) = 4 palms (palmae) = 12 inches (pollices) = 16 fingers (digiti) | pes: 24 centimetres | 11.5 inches |
| Area | 1 iugerum [= 240 x 120 pedes] | iugerum: 0.25 hectare | 0.6 acre |
| Dry volume | 1 peck (modius) = 2 gallons (semodii) = 16 pints (sextarii) | modius: 8.75 litres | 2 UK gallons or 2.4 US gallons |
| Liquid volume | 1 culleus = 20 amphorae or quadrantalia = 40 urnae = 160 congii = 960 pints (sextarii) | culleus: 525 litres (5.25 hectolitres) | 115 UK gallons 139 US gallons |
| Volume: smaller units | 1 pint (sextarius) = 2 heminae or cotulae = 3 tertiarii = 4 quartarii = 8 acetabula = 12 cyathi | sextarius: 0.55 litre | 1 UK pint 1.2 US pints |
| Weight | 1 lb. or libra = 12 ounces (unciae) | libra: 0.325 kilogram | 13 ounces |
| Apothecaries’ weight | 1 pound (mina) = 100 drams (drachmae) | mina: 0.44 kilogram | 15.4 ounces |
