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Mile (Roman)


The Roman mile (mille passuum, meaning "a thousand paces") was a unit of distance used in ancient Rome. It measured approximately 1,000 double steps, or 5,000 Roman feet. One Roman foot (pes) was about 11.65 inches (29.6 cm), making the Roman mile roughly 4,850 feet or about 1,480 meters.


The Roman mile was used for measuring distances along roads across the Roman Empire, often marked by milestones (miliaria) placed at intervals of one mile. This system allowed for standardized road construction and efficient communication and transportation across vast territories.


Although shorter than the modern statute mile (1,609.344 meters), the Roman mile laid the foundation for the concept of mile-based distance measurement. The word "mile" itself originates from the Latin "mille," reflecting this Roman origin. Over time, the length of a mile evolved, eventually leading to the modern definitions used today.


Barleycorn


A barleycorn is an old English unit of length, traditionally based on the length of a grain of barley. It is defined as exactly 1/3 of an inch or approximately 8.47 millimeters.


Historically, the barleycorn was used for measuring small lengths and was also the basis for the inch, which was originally considered to be three barleycorns long. It played a role in various traditional measurements, including shoe sizing in English-speaking countries, where shoe sizes were sometimes expressed in barleycorn units.


Although obsolete as a formal unit, the barleycorn remains culturally significant, especially in shoe sizing systems.


Summary:



  • 1 barleycorn = 1/3 inch ≈ 8.47 mm



  • Based on the length of a grain of barley



  • Used historically in small measurements and shoe sizing



  • Mostly of historical and cultural interest today





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