urna

ancient Roman unit of measurement

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July 16, 2026

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The term "urna" in ancient Rome referred to a unit of measurement for liquids, not a general unit of measurement. It was part of the Roman capacity measurement system, which also included units like the sextarius, congius, and amphora.1

Specifically, the urna was equivalent to 24 sextarii. Based on the mean value of a sextarius being approximately 0.58 liters, an urna held about 13.92 liters. This unit was used for measuring liquids, alongside other measures for dry products. The word "urn" itself also refers to a type of vessel, often ornamental, used for cremated remains or serving beverages.12

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measurement system
Greeks and Romans
sextarius, congius, urna, and amphora for liquids. Since all of these were based on the sextarius and since no two extant sextarii are identical, a mean generally agreed upon today is 35.4 cubic inches, or nearly 1 pint (0.58 litre). The hemina, or half-sextarius, based on this…
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sextarius, congius, urna, and amphora for liquids. Since all of these were based on the sextarius and since no two extant sextarii are identical, a mean generally agreed upon today is 35.4 cubic inches, or nearly 1 pint (0.58 litre). The hemina, or half-sextarius, based on this…
Read More