The History of the Mile: From Roman Soldiers to Today

Why is a mile 5,280 feet? It seems like a random number. Why not 5,000?

Mille Passus

The word "mile" comes from the Latin "mille passus," meaning "a thousand paces." A Roman mile was 1,000 double-steps of a Roman soldier. This worked out to about 5,000 Roman feet.

The Furlong Interference

In England, farmers used the "furlong" (the length of a furrow in a plowed field) as a major unit. A furlong was 660 feet. People wanted the mile to consist of a whole number of furlongs. 8 furlongs equaled 5,280 feet. In 1593, Queen Elizabeth I codified this, and the 5,280-foot mile became law.