length · Ancient Roman · Republic/Empire

Roman cubitus

approx.reference-only

Record: M125
Definition quality: Reconstructed approximate
Conversion mode: reference only
Calculator: Reference only

Definition

1 cubitus = 1.5 Roman feet

History & use

Roman cubit related to local foot, not Greek physical length.

Modern use

Modern use is context-dependent and varies by region or measurement system.

Sources & evidence

Source tier — · confidence high

William Smith (ed.), John Murray, London — https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/home.html

Related measurements

metre

length · International · Modern

SI base unit of length. Its definition fixes the speed of light in vacuum at exactly 299,792,458 m/s, with the second defined from the caesium-133 hyperfine frequency.

kilometre

length · International · Modern

1 km = 1000 m by the SI prefix kilo-.

centimetre

length · International · Modern

1 cm = 0.01 m by the SI prefix centi-.

millimetre

length · International · Modern

1 mm = 0.001 m by the SI prefix milli-.

inch

length · UK / US · Modern / historical

1 international inch = exactly 0.0254 m.

foot

length · UK / US · Modern / historical

1 international foot = exactly 0.3048 m.

yard

length · UK / US · Modern / historical

1 international yard = exactly 0.9144 m.

mile

length · UK / US · Modern / historical

1 international mile = exactly 1609.344 m = 1760 yd.