What this unit was
Attic plethron (land square) is modelled here as a area standard of the Greek tradition, associated with Athens during Classical Attic representative. The converter represents one plethron as 874.3849 m²; its basis is ten-thousand-square-podes. The matrix carries an indicative uncertainty of ± 5.914 m².
Within that setting, the unit belonged to a working system for land assessment, cultivation, taxation, and the description of built or agricultural space. It should be read with its period, locality, and evidential basis attached, not as a universal value shared by every culture using a similar name.
Evidence of use and sources
The working value is traceable to Smith Dictionary Mensura. Its record is classified as medium confidence and uses the stated basis rather than an assumed culture-wide constant.
Three directly pertinent excerpts from the supplied library are available.
“The rest of the Measures are founded on known proportions.”
Tables of antient coins, weights, and measures, PDF p. 78. reconstructed proportional systems
“Stadium contain'd 125 Roman Paces, or 625 Feet”
Tables of antient coins, weights, and measures, PDF p. 81. Roman distance relationship
“the trade value of the Attic standard, and ... the coinage value”
Flinders Petrie, Ancient Weights and Measures, PDF p. 31. trade and coin systems must be distinguished
Working definition
Attic plethron (land square) is represented as a Greek standard associated with Athens during Classical Attic representative.
The converter uses 874.3849 m² per unit with indicative matrix uncertainty ± 5.914 m².
How to use it
Basis: ten-thousand-square-podes; confidence: medium. A shared historical name does not make this value portable to another period or polity.
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