Ancient Greece
units of capacity

Liquid capacity

		metretes μετρητής
		chous χοῦς			12
xestes ξέστης				6	72
	kotyle κοτύλη		2	12	144
oxybaph ὀξύβαφον		4	8	48	576
kyathos κύαθος	1½	6	12	72	864
45 mL	67.5 mL	270 mL	540 mL	3.24 L	38.88 L

Measures smaller than the kyathos, mostly later and mostly pharmaceutical

		kyathos κύαθος
(small) concha κόγχη			2
mystrum		3	4
(small) cheme	2	6	12
3.75 mL	7.5 mL	22.5 mL	45 mL

Liquid capacity after Solon’s reforms, circa 403 bce

	metretes μετρητής or amphora ἀμφορεύς or kados κάδος
			hemiamphora ἠμιαμφόριον					2
				chous χοῦς			4	8
	dikotylon δικότυλον (xestes ξέστης)					6	24	48
	kotyle κοτύλη or trublion τρυβλίον				2	12	48	96
	hemikotylion ἡμικοτύλιον			2	4	24	96	192
	oxybaphon ὀξύβαφον		2	4	8	48	192	384
	kyathos κύαθος	1½	3	6	12	72	288	576
value¹	37.7 mL	56.6 mL	113.3 mL	226.5 mL	453 mL	2.718 L	10.872 L	21.744 L
range¹	36- 38	55- 58	11- 11.5	22- 23	44- 46	2.64- 2.76	10.56- 11.04	21.12- 22.08

1. Oskar Viedebantt.
Forschungen zur Metrologie des Altertums.
Abhandlungen der Philologisch-historischen Klasse der Königl. Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, vol. 34, no. 3.
Leipzig: B. G. Teubner, 1917.

Viedebantt identified Solon's dikotylon with the Egyptian hin, same as Hebrew log and with the

Dry capacity

								medimnos μέδιμνος
							hemimedimnos			2
			hekteus ἑκτεύς or modios						3	6
					hemihekt			2	6	12
				choinix χοῖνιξ			4	8	24	48
	xestes ξέστης or dikotyle					2	8	16	48	96
	kotyle κοτύλη				2	4	16	32	96	192
		hemikotyle		2	4	8	32	64	192	384
	oxybaph ὀξύβαφον		2	4	8	16	64	128	384	768
kyathus κύαθος		1½	3	6	12	24	96	192	576	1152
Attica¹	45.6 mL	68.4 mL	136.8 mL	273.6 mL	547.2 mL	1094.4 mL	4.34 L	8.76 L	26.27 L	52.53 L
Sparta										71

1. Friedrich Hultsch.
Griechische und Römische Metrologie. 2nd edition.
Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1882.

Page 703. Some units' values calculated from others given by Hultsch.

Ancient Greece units of capacity

Liquid capacity

Measures smaller than the kyathos, mostly later and mostly pharmaceutical

Liquid capacity after Solon’s reforms, circa 403 bce

Dry capacity

Ancient Greece
units of capacity