Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Pertica

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

PER'TICA. Any long thin rod or pole, for threshing corn (Plin. H. N. xviii. 72.); nut trees (Ov. Nux, 67.); olives (Plin. H. N. xv. 3.); as a measuring rod, or perch (Prop. iv. 1. 130.), also termed pertica militaris (Serv. ad Virg. Ecl. ix. 7.), because the lands apportioned amongst the military were measured off into allotments by this instrument. Thence it is often expressed on medals and engraved gems by the side of a plough. See Gorlaeus, Dactyliothec. ii. Nos. 608. 610.