PALMUS

properly the width of the open hand, or, more exactly, of the four fingers, was used by the Romans for two different measures of length, namely, as the translation of the Greek παλαιστή , or δῶρον in old Greek, and σπιθαμή respectively. In the former sense it is equal to 4 digits, or 3 inches, or 1-4th of a foot, or 1-6th of the cubit. The larger palm of 9 inches only occurs in later Roman writers. From this large palm us the modern Roman palmo is derived. IMG:6459379820872971714_ill281a.jpg: Paludamentum, Military Cloak. (Statue of a Roman Emperor.)