Numerals and time

Classical Greek uses both word and alphabetic numeration.
Classical Greek possesses cardinal (one, two, three) and ordinal (first, second, third) numbers.
Cardinal numbers are used to tell “how many” and ordinal numbers express order in a list.
For instance, in Greek, ‘one’ is εἷς (masculine), μία (feminine), ἕν (neuter), while ‘first’ is πρῶτος -η -ον.
Alphabetic numeration functioned similarly to Roman numerals, with the first ten letters of the Greek alphabet representing units.

Time could be referred to in terms of parts of the day, or by specific hours.
Reference to specific time can be more circumlocutory, often related to natural or social events (e.g., sun rising, meal times).
The Greeks divided the day into 12 hours (ὥραι), from sunrise to sunset.
Greek also possesses words for time measurements like ‘hour’ (ὥρα), ‘day’ (ἡμέρα), ‘month’ (μήν), and ‘year’ (ἔτος).
It’s important to remember that ‘hour’ in ancient Greek typically referred to the 12 divisions of daylight and not a 60-minute period.

Numerals may serve as standalone words or they may modify nouns, where they agree in case, gender, and number.
Ordinal numbers are used in dates, like the ‘tenth’ (δέκατος) of the month.
It’s common to express time using the form: εἴκοσι ἡμέραι ‘twenty days’; τρὶς τοῦ ἡμέρου ‘three times a day’.
Understanding these elements of Greek numeration and measurement of time are crucial in translating ancient texts accurately and understanding their historical context.