MĬLIĀRE

MILLĬĀRĬUM, or MILLE PASSUUM ( μίλιον ), the Roman mile, consisted of 1000 paces ( pa us ) of 5 feet each, and was therefore = 5000 feet. Taking the Roman foot at 11·6496 English inches [ Pes ], the Roman mile would be 1618 English yards, or 142 yards le than the English statute mile. The most common term for the mile is mille pa uum , or only the initials M. P.; sometimes the word pa uum is omitted. The Roman mile contained 8 Greek stadia. The mile-stones along the Roman roads were called milliaria . They were also called lapides ; thus we have ad tertium lapidem (or without the word lapidem ) for 3 miles from Rome. August us erected a gilt pillar in the Forum, where the principal roads terminated, which was called milliarium aureum ; but the miles were not reckoned from it, but from the gates of the city. Such central marks appear to have been common in the principal cities of the Roman empire. The “London-stone” in Cannon-street is supposed to have marked the centre of the Roman roads in Britain.