Stadium - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

STADIUM, the Latin form of this Greek name for a standard of length, a stade= loo opymal (about 6 ft., or I fathom) = 6 7rMepa (loo Gr. about for Eng. ft.), equivalent to about 606 Eng. ft.; as being about one-eighth of the Roman mile, it is often translated by "furlong." The course for the foot-race at Olympia was exactly a stade in length, and hence the name was given to the Greek foot-race and to the amphitheatre in which the races took place (see Classical games).