The distinctive point
Attic plethron (land square): a value with room for evidence
The distinctive point is the uncertainty, not just the headline magnitude. The matrix carries ± 5.914 m² and names the basis as ten-thousand-square-podes. That keeps comparison possible without pretending that every specimen, survey, or period produced one perfect constant.
Basis: ten-thousand-square-podes. Check the record source.
- smallersquare Attic pous10,000 × square Attic pous
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.
Open this unit in the Area converter · Return to all units