AMPHORA, is often taken in an appellative Sense for a Pitcher, or vessel to Luke xxii. 10.hold wine or water. For example, There shall a Man meet you bearing a Pitcher of water, Amphoram aquæ portans. At other times it is taken for a a certain measure: Dan. xiv. 3.For instance, There were spent every day upon the Idol Bel six vessels of Wine, Vini amphoræ sex. The Amphora is not an Hebrew measure, and the original Hebrew of the place, wherein this term is to be met with, is no where extant. The Roman Amphora contained two urns, or eight and forty Sextarii, or fourscore pounds, at twelve ounces to the pound1: But the Attick or Athenian Amphora contained three urns, or an hundred and twenty pounds, at twelve ounces each, which make but ninety, at sixteen ounces to the pound.
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Footnotes
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Translators’ note. The Amphora in Dr. Arbuthnot’s Account of it contained seven English Gallons and one Wine pint; the Urna three Gallons, four Wine pints and a half; the Sextarius one Wine pint. See his Tables of ancient Coins, Weights, Measures, &c. c. ix. ↩