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De mensuris et ponderibus

Eusebius Caesariensis · khazarzar

BothSourceEnglish
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machine-draft · no human review 2 passages · 437 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

De mensuris et ponderibus is a late antique Greek treatise on weights and measures, traditionally attributed to Eusebius of Caesarea but likely a 4th–5th century compilation. It survives in a single, lacunose manuscript with scribal corrections, and was used by Byzantine scholars for biblical exegesis. The work draws on earlier metrological writers like Didymus and Heron, but does not cite them directly. The Khazarzar edition lacks a critical apparatus, limiting its textual-critical value. The English translation may not accurately render ancient technical terms.

De mensuris et ponderibus is important as a witness to late antique Christian engagement with practical metrology for biblical interpretation. It preserves otherwise unattested values for units like the kabos and xestes, and illustrates how earlier Greek technical knowledge was adapted for ecclesiastical use. Its uncertain authorship and textual problems highlight the challenges of studying late antique compilations.

Historical context

The treatise was likely compiled in the eastern Mediterranean, possibly in Palestine or Syria, during the 4th–5th centuries CE. Its attribution to Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–340) is uncertain; the work is a practical handbook for interpreting biblical measures, reflecting the needs of Christian exegetes. It survives in a single Greek manuscript tradition with significant lacunae and corrections, indicating a limited but continuous use in Byzantine monastic or scholarly circles. The text was never included in the Eusebian corpus and shows signs of later interpolation, especially in metrological systems. Its reliance on earlier Greek sources (e.g., Didymus, Heron) places it within a broader tradition of technical literature, but its primary function was scriptural clarification.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

12 commentary units 6 term2 background2 structure1 scripture1 caution 1 derived notes 4 open questions 2 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • coverageNo English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed.
  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 2 narrative.
  • caution1 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note.
  • sourceSource edition: khazarzar — Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
khazarzar-eusebius-caesariensis-de-mensuris-et-ponderibus:1 · narrativemedium
Source
Εὐσεβίου τοῦ Παμφίλου ἐκλογὴ συντομωτέρα περὶ μέτρων καὶ σταθμῶν. Εἰσὶ διαφοραὶ μὲν αὐτῶν πολλαὶ κατὰ διαφόρους χώρας, ἀλλ' ἑνὶ εἱρμῷ ἐν πληροφορίᾳ κεῖται τὰ ὑποκείμενα· ἔχει δὲ καὶ ὠφέλειαν οὐκ ὀλίγην ἡ ὑπόθεσις διὰ τὸ πλεῖστα ἐμφέρεσθαι ἐν ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις γραφαῖς. 2 Περὶ τῶν ὑγρῶν μέτρων. Ἀλάβαστρος λίτρα αʹ. Ὁ τοῦ οἴνου ἀμφορεύς ἐστι μετρητὴς ξεστῶν μηʹ. Κάβος ξεστῶν ʹ. Ξέστης λιτρῶν βʹ. Κοτύλη λίτρας αʹ. Τρυβλίον δʹ. Ὀξύβαφον γʹ. Κάδος ξεστῶν κδʹ. Πρόχος ξεστῶν ιβʹ. Χοῦς ξεστῶν ʹ. Κύαθος βʹ. Μύστρον. Κοχλιάριον δʹ. Ὁ ξέστης οὖν ἄρα εἰς κοχλιάρια ἀναλύεται ʹ. Ἔτι περὶ τῶν ὑγρῶν μέτρων. Νέβελ οἴνου ξεστῶν ρνʹ. Κάδος ἐλαίου ξεστῶν νʹ. Βάτος ξεστῶν νʹ. Κόλαθος ξεστῶν κεʹ. Σαφιθὰ ξεστῶν κβʹ. Μάρις ξεστῶν κʹ. Ἲν τὸ μέγα ξεστῶν ιηʹ. Τὸ δὲ ἅγιον ξεστῶν θʹ. Ὑδρία ξεστῶν ιʹ. Στάμνος ξεστῶν ιʹ. Καμψάκκης ξεστῶν δʹ. Ὁ τοῦ οἴνου σταθμὸς τῶν ιʹ λιτρῶν ἐλαίου γίνονται λίτραι θʹ, μέλιτος δὲ λίτραι ιεʹ.
English
Eusebius of Pamphilus, a more concise selection concerning measures and weights. There are many differences among them according to various regions, but the following are set forth in a single sequence for assurance; and the subject also has no small benefit because most things are mentioned in the divinely inspired scriptures. 2 Concerning liquid measures. Alabastron: 1 litra. The amphora of wine is a metretes of 48 xestai. Kabos: xestai. Xestes: 2 litrai. Kotyle: 1 litra. Tryblion: 4. Oxybaphon: 3. Kados: 24 xestai. Prochos: 12 xestai. Chous: xestai. Kyathos: 2. Mystron. Kochliarion: 4. The xestes therefore is resolved into kochliaria. Further concerning liquid measures. Nebel of wine: 150 xestai. Kados of oil: 50 xestai. Batos: 50 xestai. Kolathos: 25 xestai. Saphitha: 22 xestai. Maris: 20 xestai. The great hin: 18 xestai. The holy hin: 9 xestai. Hydria: 10 xestai. Stamnos: 10 xestai. Kampsakkes: 4 xestai. The weight of wine of 10 litrai of oil becomes 9 litrai, of honey 15 litrai.
khazarzar-eusebius-caesariensis-de-mensuris-et-ponderibus:2 · narrativemedium
Source
4 Περὶ τῶν ξηρῶν μέτρων. Κόρος σάτων λʹ, μοδίων μεʹ. Γόμορ μοδίων ιεʹ. Μέδιμνον μοδίων ʹ. Μετρητὴς μοδίων δʹ. Λεκὲθ μοδίων ιεʹ. Ἀρτάβη μοδίων δʹ· νῦν Μόδιος ξεστῶν ι ʹ. Μέτρον ξεστῶν ζʹ. Γόμορ μικρὸν ξεστῶν ζʹ. Χοῖνιξ ξεστῶν βʹ. δὲ γʹ. Κύπρος ὁ Ποντικὸς μοδίων βʹ. Σάτον ἡμιόλιον τοῦ μοδίου, τουτέστι τὸ ἥμισυ μετὰ τοῦ ὅλου, ξεστῶν κδʹ. Ὕφι ξεστῶν βʹ. Ξέστης λιτρῶν βʹ. Δρὰξ τῆς χειρὸς ἡ κράτησις. Καὶ τὰ λεπτὰ δὲ μέτρα τῶν ξηρῶν ὁμοίως τοῖς προειρημένοις ὑγροῖς. Σαΐτης ξεστῶν κβʹ. Ἀπόρυμα ξεστῶν ιαʹ. 5 Περὶ σταθμῶν. Τάλαντον λιτρῶν ξʹ. Μνᾶ λίτρας αʹ. Λίτρα οὐγκιῶν ιβʹ. Δηνάριον δʹ. Νουμμὸς αʹ. Στατὴρ τὸ. Σίκλον τὸ δʹ. Ἀσσάριον τὸ δʹ. Κοδράντης τὸ δʹ. Ἀργυροῦς κερατίων ιηʹ. Νόμισμα κερατίων ιηʹ. Δραγμὴ κερατίων ιηʹ. Ὁλκὴ κερατίων ιηʹ. Γραμμὴ κερατίων ʹ. Ὀβολὸς κερατίων γʹ. Ὀβολὸς λεπτὸς ὀγδοηκοστὸν τῆς…. Κεράτιον φόλλεις κʹ. Θερμὸς κερατίων αʹ. Χαλκοῦς φόλλεις γʹ. Μιλιαρίσιον κʹ. Βαλάντιον κερατίων μεʹ. Ἡ οὐγκία ἔχει στατῆρας βʹ, σίκλους δʹ, δραγμὰς ηʹ, γραμμὰς κδʹ, ὀβολοὺς μηʹ, κεράτια ρμδʹ. Οἱ προειρημένοι σταθμοὶ ποτὲ ἐκ χρυσίου ἐτυποῦντο πάλαι, ποτὲ δὲ ἐξ ἀργυρίου, ἦν δὲ ὅτε καὶ ἐκ χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου, καθὼς εἶχον οἱ χρόνοι καὶ οἱ τόποι.
English
4 Concerning dry measures. A koros is 30 sata, 45 modii. A gomor is 15 modii. A medimnos is 1 modius. A metretes is 4 modii. A leket is 15 modii. An artabe is 4 modii. Now a modius is 10 xestai. A metron is 7 xestai. A small gomor is 7 xestai. A choinix is 2 xestai, but 3. A Pontic kypros is 2 modii. A saton is one and a half times the modius, that is, the half together with the whole, 24 xestai. A hyphi is 2 xestai. A xestes is 2 litrai. A drax is the grasp of the hand. And the small dry measures are likewise to the previously mentioned liquid ones. A saites is 22 xestai. An aporryma is 11 xestai. 5 Concerning weights. A talent is 60 litrai. A mna is 1 litra. A litra is 12 unciai. A denarion is 4. A noummos is 1. A stater is 1. A siklon is 4. An assarion is 4. A kodrantes is 4. An argyrous is 18 keratia. A nomisma is 18 keratia. A drame is 18 keratia. An holke is 18 keratia. A gramme is 1 keratia. An obolos is 3 keratia. A small obolos is an eightieth of the… A keration is 20 pholleis. A thermos is 1 keratia. A chalkous is 3 pholleis. A miliarision is 20. A balantion is 45 keratia. The uncia has 2 stateres, 4 sikloi, 8 dramai, 24 grammai, 48 oboloi, 144 keratia. The aforementioned weights were sometimes stamped from gold long ago, sometimes from silver, and there was a time when also from copper and iron, according to the times and places.
Citation. Tergwame, “De mensuris et ponderibus”, khazarzar-eusebius-caesariensis-de-mensuris-et-ponderibus:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/khazarzar-eusebius-caesariensis-de-mensuris-et-ponderibus#s1
Colophon. Source: khazarzar · licence: Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0016 · generated 2026-11-15.