Convert Historical Weights Instantly

This conversion page features historical units (ancient, medieval, etc.) that are mostly no longer in use. If you are looking for units of weight that are used today, including many national units of various countries, please switch to our main weight and mass conversion page.
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Metric

We only include several basic units here for you to convert historical units to contemporary ones. A more comprehensive list of metric units is available on the main weight conversion page.
tonne
kilogram (kg)
gram (g)
Units: tonne  / kilogram (kg)  / gram (g)
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Avoirdupois (U.S.)

We only include several basic units here for you to convert historical units to contemporary ones. A more comprehensive list of U.S. units is available on the main weight conversion page.
short ton (US)
pound (lb)
ounce (oz)
Units: short ton (US)  / pound (lb)  / ounce (oz)
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Ancient Greek (Attic/Eubolic standard)

Many ancient weights were associated with currency designating the corresponding amount of silver. The same was true for Greek units of weight. There were two dominant weight standard, one originated in Euboea (second largest Greek island after Crete), the other was from Aegina. Archeologists have found though the real weights used in different cities varied greatly.
talent (τάλαντον)
mina (μνᾶ)
dekadrachm (δεκάδραχμον, 10 drachmae)
tetradrachm (τετράδραχμον, 4 drachmae)
didrachm (δίδραχμον, 2 drachmae)
stater (στατήρ, weight)
drachma (δραχμή, dram)
tetrobol (τετρώβολον, 4 obols)
triobol (τριώβολον, 3 obols)
diobol (διώβολον, 2 obols)
obol (ὀβολός)
tritartemorion (τριτημόριον, 3 tetartemoria)
hemiobol (ἡμιωβόλιον, ½ obol)
trihemitetartemorion (τριημιτεταρτημόριον, 1½ tetartemorion)
tetartemorion (ταρτημόριον, ¼ obol)
hemitetartemorion (ἡμιτεταρτημόριον, ½ tetartemorion)
Units: talent (τάλαντον)  / mina (μνᾶ)  / dekadrachm (δεκάδραχμον, 10 drachmae)  / tetradrachm (τετράδραχμον, 4 drachmae)  / didrachm (δίδραχμον, 2 drachmae)  / stater (στατήρ, weight)  / drachma (δραχμή, dram)  / tetrobol (τετρώβολον, 4 obols)  / triobol (τριώβολον, 3 obols)  / diobol (διώβολον, 2 obols)  / obol (ὀβολός)  / tritartemorion (τριτημόριον, 3 tetartemoria)  / hemiobol (ἡμιωβόλιον, ½ obol)  / trihemitetartemorion (τριημιτεταρτημόριον, 1½ tetartemorion)  / tetartemorion (ταρτημόριον, ¼ obol)  / hemitetartemorion (ἡμιτεταρτημόριον, ½ tetartemorion)
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Ancient Greek (Aeginetic standard)

During ancient times Aegina was a rival of Athens, the great sea power of the era.
talent (τάλαντον)
mina (μνᾶ)
dekadrachm (δεκάδραχμον, 10 drachmae)
tetradrachm (τετράδραχμον, 4 drachmae)
didrachm (δίδραχμον, 2 drachmae)
stater (στατήρ, weight)
drachma (δραχμή, dram)
tetrobol (τετρώβολον, 4 obols)
triobol (τριώβολον, 3 obols)
diobol (διώβολον, 2 obols)
obol (ὀβολός)
tritartemorion (τριτημόριον, 3 tetartemoria)
hemiobol (ἡμιωβόλιον, ½ obol)
trihemitetartemorion (τριημιτεταρτημόριον, 1½ tetartemorion)
tetartemorion (ταρτημόριον, ¼ obol)
hemitetartemorion (ἡμιτεταρτημόριον, ½ tetartemorion)
Units: talent (τάλαντον)  / mina (μνᾶ)  / dekadrachm (δεκάδραχμον, 10 drachmae)  / tetradrachm (τετράδραχμον, 4 drachmae)  / didrachm (δίδραχμον, 2 drachmae)  / stater (στατήρ, weight)  / drachma (δραχμή, dram)  / tetrobol (τετρώβολον, 4 obols)  / triobol (τριώβολον, 3 obols)  / diobol (διώβολον, 2 obols)  / obol (ὀβολός)  / tritartemorion (τριτημόριον, 3 tetartemoria)  / hemiobol (ἡμιωβόλιον, ½ obol)  / trihemitetartemorion (τριημιτεταρτημόριον, 1½ tetartemorion)  / tetartemorion (ταρτημόριον, ¼ obol)  / hemitetartemorion (ἡμιτεταρτημόριον, ½ tetartemorion)
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Ancient Roman

The base Roman unit of weight was libra (Roman pound) that contained 12 uncias. Modern estimates of the libra ranges from 322 to 329 grams with 328.9 grams an accepted figure. The base unit for coins was as that used to be 12 uncias initially and then gradually reduced to only half an uncia. Another silver coin was called denarius equal to 10 asses (from Latin dēnī - containing ten), it was later recalibrated to contain 16 asses or four sestertii. A literal meaning of each unit is given in parentheses.
libra (Roman pound, balance)
deunx (11⁄12 libra, less a twelfth)
dextans (10⁄12 libra, less a sixth)
dodrans (9⁄12 libra, less a fourth)
bes (8⁄12 libra, two of an as)
septunx (7⁄12 libra, seven-twelfths)
semis (6⁄12 libra, a half)
quincunx (5⁄12 libra, five-twelfths)
triens (4⁄12 libra, a third)
quadrans (1⁄4 libra, a fourth)
teruncius (3⁄12 libra, triple twelfth)
sextans (2⁄12 libra, a sixth)
sescuncia (1⁄8 libra, 1½ twelfths)
uncia (Roman ounce, a twelfth)
semuncia (½ uncia, half-twelfth)
duella (⅓ uncia, little double [sixths])
sicilicus (¼ uncia, little sickle)
sextula (1⁄6 uncia, little sixth)
drachma (1⁄8 uncia, from Greek unit δραχμή)
semisextula (1⁄12 uncia, half-little sixth)
scrupulum (1⁄24 uncia, small pebble)
obolus (1⁄48 uncia, from Greek unit ὀβολός 'metal spit')
siliqua (1⁄144 uncia, carat, carob seed)
Units: libra (Roman pound, balance)  / deunx (11⁄12 libra, less a twelfth)  / dextans (10⁄12 libra, less a sixth)  / dodrans (9⁄12 libra, less a fourth)  / bes (8⁄12 libra, two of an as)  / septunx (7⁄12 libra, seven-twelfths)  / semis (6⁄12 libra, a half)  / quincunx (5⁄12 libra, five-twelfths)  / triens (4⁄12 libra, a third)  / quadrans (1⁄4 libra, a fourth)  / teruncius (3⁄12 libra, triple twelfth)  / sextans (2⁄12 libra, a sixth)  / sescuncia (1⁄8 libra, 1½ twelfths)  / uncia (Roman ounce, a twelfth)  / semuncia (½ uncia, half-twelfth)  / duella (⅓ uncia, little double [sixths])  / sicilicus (¼ uncia, little sickle)  / sextula (1⁄6 uncia, little sixth)  / drachma (1⁄8 uncia, from Greek unit δραχμή)  / semisextula (1⁄12 uncia, half-little sixth)  / scrupulum (1⁄24 uncia, small pebble)  / obolus (1⁄48 uncia, from Greek unit ὀβολός 'metal spit')  / siliqua (1⁄144 uncia, carat, carob seed)
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Biblical

Israelites initially followed Babylonian system of units, but the units were later altered. There were royal and common versions of units and each of these forms had heavy and light versions. Gradually the system reformed again under the Egyptian influence. For example a shekel (silver coin) could weigh anything between 8 and 16 grams in various places and periods of history. That's why it is impossible get an exact conversion from biblical units to contemporary ones.
talent
mina
shekel
pim
beka
gerah
Units: talent  / mina  / shekel  / pim  / beka  / gerah
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Baha'i Faith Units

The Bahá'í Faith is a religion teaching the essential worth of all religions, and the unity and equality of all people. It was establised in Persia in 1863.
mithqal
nakhud
Units: mithqal  / nakhud
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Old Spanish

tonelada
fanega de trigo (bushel of wheat)
fanega de centeno (bushel of rye)
fanega de cebada (bushel of barley)
quintal
arroba
libra
marco
cuarterón
onza
ochava
adarme
grano
Units: tonelada  / fanega de trigo (bushel of wheat)  / fanega de centeno (bushel of rye)  / fanega de cebada (bushel of barley)  / quintal  / arroba  / libra  / marco  / cuarterón  / onza  / ochava  / adarme  / grano
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Old Portuguese

These units were used in Portugal, Brazil and other countries of the Portuguese Empire until the adoption of the metric system in 19th century.
tonelada
quintal
arroba
arrátel (libra)
quarta
onça
oitava
escrópulo
grão
Units: tonelada  / quintal  / arroba  / arrátel (libra)  / quarta  / onça  / oitava  / escrópulo  / grão
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Old Russian

berkovets
pood
pound
lot
zolotnik
dolya
Units: berkovets  / pood  / pound  / lot  / zolotnik  / dolya
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Old French

There were many local variations; the following are Quebec and Paris definitions
quintal
livre
Units: quintal  / livre
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Old German (Prussian)

These units were used before adoption of metric system in 1872.
schiffspfund
doppelzentner
zentner
stain
pfund
mark
unze
loth
quentchen
quint
pfennig
gran
Units: schiffspfund  / doppelzentner  / zentner  / stain  / pfund  / mark  / unze  / loth  / quentchen  / quint  / pfennig  / gran
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Old Austrian

These units were used before adoption of metric system in 1871.
karch
saum
zentner
stain
pfund
mark
vierding
unze
loth
quentchen
denzt
Units: karch  / saum  / zentner  / stain  / pfund  / mark  / vierding  / unze  / loth  / quentchen  / denzt
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Old Swedish

Common measurement system was introduced in Sweden by law in 1665. The oldest units like mark were used since Viking era. Sweden switched to metric system in 1889.
skeppspund
lispund
bismerpund
skålpund
mark
ort
Units: skeppspund  / lispund  / bismerpund  / skålpund  / mark  / ort

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