The Global and the Local: The History of Science and the Cultural Integration of Europe. Proceedings of the 2 nd ICESHS (Cracow, Poland, September 6–9, 2006) / Ed. by M. Kokowski. 456 Konstantinos Nikolantonakis * Weights and measures: The Greek efforts to integrate the metric system (1) Introduction Even if the metric system did not become initially acceptable with enthusiasm, its adoption from other nations began to increase regularly after its obligatory use in France in 1840. To the dues 1860 became obvious the need for more precise and of course determined units, because of the requirements created by the new scientific discoveries. This became possible with the Meter Convention in 1875, an international agreement in which participated 17 countries, while up to 1900 35 nations have accepted officially the metric system. This convention has determined with precision the units and the mechanisms for the constitution and adoption of further determinations in the metric system. In the countries of Europe the complete establishment of the Metric system took place through different conditions and in different periods. Our presentation will focus on the situation in Greece and will examine the evolution from the ancient Greek weights and measures to the final and total acceptance of the metric system in 1959. We will examine the use of other metric systems during the Antiquity, the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman period and we will focus on the political decisions and laws from 1836, via 1920 to 1959. We will study the Royal Decree No 56 of 1836 “On Weights and Measures” which reflects the existence of an agricultural society, the Law 2526 of 1920 “On Weights and Measures” which reflects the industrial and scientific evolution in the context of the Greek society and the Legislative Decree 3957 of 1959 “On the Introduction in Greece of the International Metric System” which shows the total acceptance of the Metric System. (2) Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine weights Before the establishment of currency (7th century BC) the invention of balance facilitated the transactions ensuring the control of weight of merchandises and mainly the precious metals, that were not independent from their value. The weights or zygia, as elements of balance compensated equal weight objects, merchandises, metals or even currencies. The weight (stathmion) and the relation were from each other determined depending on the weight (stathmitiko) system of various populations or cities-states, which prevailed a concrete time period. Babylonians have used the sexagesimal arithmetic system for and had separated the hour in 60 minutes and a minute in 60 seconds. The same division existed for the measures of surface and capacity and same thoughtful it appears reflects also the structure of the weight (stathmitiko) system. Thus talent was the bigger unit of weight and was divided in 60 parts, called mnes, and each mna in 60 sequel or siklous. The Phoenicians used as particular unit the sequel, without accepting the Babylonian sexagesimal system in its entirety. For them mna established the division in 50 and no in 60. The Greeks shaped their own numerical systems based on Babylonians and Phoenicians that they knew through the commercial transactions. (2.1) Ancient Greek weights The ancient Greek weight (stathmitiko) system was independent from the weight of units, was simple in structure and included mainly 4 subdivisions: the talent, the mna, the drachma and the obol. The talent had 60 mnes, each mna 50 staters, hence 100 drachmas and the drachma 6 obols. The stater was double the drachma. * University of Western Macedonia, Florina, Greece; email: nikolantonakis@noesis.edu.gr .