27

Witold Kula defined On Weights and Measures ( Peri metrōn kai stathmōn) by Epiphanius of Cyprus as the “forerunner of traders’ manuals”. This article aims to demonstrate that while the text was used for practical purposes over the centuries, its purpose was to make Bible passages containing technical words understandable to 4th century Greek-speaking readers. The article begins by analysing the context of the composition and the environment in which the author worked, reconstructing the structure of the original (now partially lost) text. In-depth analysis of selected passages provides insights into the importance of metrology in the 4th century Near East.