Vespasian's congius (Roman capacity standard)
Congio de Vespasiano (patrón romano de capacidad)
- Date
- 75 · confidence high
- Place
- Rome, Latium, Italy
- Credited to
- Administration of Emperor Vespasian
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What it is
A bronze vessel with an official inscription of AD 75 that fixes the capacity of the congius, equal to ten Roman pounds of water or about 3.27 litres. It is a material standard for checking trade measures and links a unit of volume to one of weight.
The 'Farnese congius' is kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples; the inscription names Vespasian and Titus and is dated by their consulships.
What it led to
- checking of capacity measures by the aediles
- reconstruction of Roman units of volume and weight
- the idea of a material standard deposited and policed by the State