Obsolete Russian units of measurement Peter the Great replace it with the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. The basic unit is the Russian cubit, called the "arshin", which has been in use since the 16th century. It was standardized by Peter the Great in the 18th century to measure exactly twenty-eight English inches (). Thus, 80 vershoks = 20 piads = 5 arshins = 140 English inches (). A "piad" (, “palm”, “five”) or "chetvert" (, “quarter”) is a hand span, the distance between ends of the spread thumb and index finger. Alternative units: As in many ancient systems of measurement the Russian distinguishes between dry and
The finger is once again explained in the "Suda", where it is said to mean "to touch the anus with a finger". Diogenes Laërtius records how the Cynic philosopher Diogenes of Sinope directed the gesture at the orator Demosthenes in 4th-century BC Athens. In the "Discourses of Epictetus", Diogenes's target is instead one of the sophists. In Latin, the middle finger was the "digitus impudicus", meaning the "shameless, indecent or offensive finger". In the 1st century AD, Persius had superstitious female relatives concoct a charm with the "infamous finger" ("digitus infamis") and "purifying spit"; while in the "Satyricon", an old woman uses