jugerum

The jugerum was a unit of area in ancient Roman surveying. It was defined as an area measuring 2 actus by 2 actus, where an actus was a strip of land 120 Roman feet wide and 240 Roman feet long. This resulted in a jugerum measuring approximately 240 Roman feet by 240 Roman feet. The total area of a jugerum is roughly equivalent to 2,500 square meters or about 0.62 acres.

The jugerum was a fundamental unit for the division and distribution of land in Roman territories. It was commonly used in agrarian contexts, such as the allocation of land to veterans, colonists, or for public works. The measurement system was standardized and applied across the Roman Republic and later the Empire.

Roman surveyors, known as agrimensores, used specialized tools like the groma to lay out and measure land in jugera. The precise dimensions of the jugerum contributed to the systematic organization of agricultural estates and the establishment of Roman infrastructure. The concept of the jugerum reflects the importance of land ownership and agricultural productivity in Roman society.