Talk:League (unit)
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[edit] League = 1.5 miles or 3 miles?
I posted this question also in Talk:Ancient_Roman_units_of_measurement, but it may also be good to ask the same question on this side. It is just a question out of curiosity. The article Ancient Roman units of measurement states that 1 mile is equivalent in Ancient Rome to 5000 ft, while 1 league is 7500 ft. Hence: 1 league is 1.5 mile. However this article states that 1 league is 3 miles in Ancient Rome (quote: "The league was used by Ancient Rome, which defined it as being 3 miles."). Which is true? Brynnar 18:26, 15 August 2006 (UTC)
It is my understanding that a league represented the distance an army in the field could travel in a day along with its baggage train, i.e. between campsites (as in "leaguer", more often the camp of a besieging army, cognate with lager and laager). This wasn't merely different according to the terrain, but had to allow time for everything else an army had to do like pitching camp, cooking, foraging, etc. - so it was surprisingly short in unfavourable conditions. PML.
- This sounds like folk etymology to me. The Roman legions are known to have made 30 miles a day when travelling (including camp pitching, cooking etc), much much farther than one league. Rhialto 09:02, 9 May 2007 (UTC)
[edit] League (area)
I'd suggest separating out teh length and area units into separate articles, as their etymology (Anglo-saxon vs Iberian) is quite different. I'd also like to see a cite for the Texan league definition. It seems odd that a unit that descends from Iberian roots would be defined relative to Anglo-saxon units only, and not another Iberian-sourced unit. Rhialto 22:43, 30 October 2006 (UTC)
- It was used after Texas became an independent country, and after Texas later became part of the United States. The vara on which it is bases was likely officially redefined in English units during Texas independence (and possibly for some uses earlier); it may have differed from that used in other parts of Mexico, and from all the various ones used in different parts of Spain, before then. There is a huge 100+ volume Spanish encyclopedia listing a great many, perhaps hundreds of those variations.
- I don't have a specific reference for the Texas ones handy; there are many sources giving the 33 inch redefinition of the vara. I think one would be Black's Law Dictionary, 4th edition, but I can't find my copy of that now. Also Webster's Second, and likely James Michener's novel, Texas which discusses extensively the league and a labor grants. Gene Nygaard (talk) 16:41, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Leagues in fiction
Perhaps have it, instead of listing several books where it's used, how about having it just say that it is commonly used in fictional literature, and give 1 or 2 examples? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 144.118.197.217 (talk) 01:37, 12 April 2007 (UTC).
- I changed it. 62.20.156.137 22:23, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Improper change in conversions
I reverted the latest change in conversions using templates, with undue precision, and with the original measurements no longer listed first. I'll do it again if it is done on this massive basis without discussion. Gene Nygaard (talk) 15:33, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
