Ottoman Empire
The batman (or bateman) was first recorded in English in 1599, in Babylon (probably modern Baghdad), where it was said to be equal to "7 pound and 5 ounces English weight". In the central Ottoman system of weights, the batman was equal to six okas, as is attested in 1811 in Aleppo, 1821 in Baghdad and in 1850 in Constantinople. At this point, the batman was equal to 16 lb. 8 oz. avoirdupois (7.484 kg).
Read more about this topic: Batman (unit)
Famous quotes containing the word empire:
“I do not believe I am exaggerating in affirming that the empire of Russia is a country whose inhabitants are the most miserable on earth, because they suffer at one and the same time the evils of barbarism and of civilization.”
—Marquis De Custine (1790–1857)