2. Mina {fMva, Lk W'- 1«- 's- 20. 24. 25 i^y ^^d py pound) is the sixtieth part of the talent. Like the latter, it is to be calculated on the Roman-Attic scale. It contains 100 denarii, and is thus equal to £4.
The only mention of this sum in the Gospels is in the parable of the Pounds (Lk 19i2'-*T), where a nobleman, going to a far country to get a kingdom, gives one mina to each of his ten servants, bidding lliem trade with it till his return. The small- ness of the sum in such a connexion is remarkable, especially when compared with the companion parable of the 'Talents. The explanation (as far as the story is concerned) seems to be that the master is not in this case a trader making provision for the suitable employment of his capital in his absence, but one who, having in prospect the acquisition of a kingdom, desires to test the capacity of his servants for high office in that kingdom. Ingenuity and diligence would be more thoroughly tested in multipljing a small sum than a large one.
(ii.) Silver coins. — Of these there are mentioned by name, the denarius, the drachm, the didrachm, and the stater. The 'piece of money' of the AV in Mt 17-^ is the stater, the 'pieces of silver' in Lk 15* are drachms, while the 'pieces of silver' in Mt 26'^ are probably staters, and are discussed under that heading.
1. Denarius (Stivapiov, AV and RV penny : American Revisers, more happilj-, shilling). — This is the most frequently mentioned coin in the Gospels (Mt 18=^ OQ^- »• i«- 1^ 22^3, Mk 6^" 12'^ u\ Lk 741 i()35 2024, jn Q- 125). i^ is the „ame of the most important Roman coin, which circulated tlirough- out the Empire, and in terms of which all public accounts were made up. It received its name from being originally the eqtiivalent of ten copper asses, but from B.C. 217 onwards it was equivalent to sixteen asses, and weighed ^ji^ of the Roman pound, or 60 grains troj\ Under Nero (c. a.d. 60) it was reduced to 75^ of the pound, or 52i grains. At the time of our Lord its value was fixed at n'j of the aureus, which maj' be taken under the early emperors as equal on the average to our sovereign ; thus the demtrius was worth 9 6 pence, or roughlj' 9id.
We find the denarius used in the Gospels for the reckoning: of even fairly large sums. Thus in the parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18'-^, see above under ' Talent ') a sum of 100 denarii is mentioned, while in the parable of the Two Debtors (Lk T4i) the two debts are stated at 5(K) and 50 denarii respectively (£20 and £2). In Mk 6^7 = Jn 6" the disciples estimate that it would need bread to the value of at least 200 denarii (£8) to provide
200
MONEY
MONEY
for the five thousand. (There is no probability in the suggestion that this figure was named as the amount of money then in ' the bag.' It is intended to indicate a sum far beyond the means of the little company). In Mk 145 = Jn 120 the vase of ointment with which Mary anointed our Lord is valued at 300 denarii (£12). The ' exceeding costliness ' of this loving tribute is realized when we remember that the sum named represents at least the annual income of a labourer of those days. This txp- pears from the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard (Mt 201-15), where a denarius is evidently looked upon as liberal pay for a day's work ; for we may be quite sure that the employer who dealt so generouslj' with the labourers engaged late in the day had struck no niggardly bargain with those hired in the morning. (A passage which may be quoted in confirmation is To 51^, where the disguised angel is promised by Tobit a drachm a day — at that time a little less than a denarius — for acting as companion to his son. It is true that this was to be exclusive of his necessary expenses ; but, on the other hand, the position was one of trust, and would naturally be more highly remuner- ated than field labour). In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk losu-y'i') two denarii are given to the innkeeper as a reason- able payment in advance for the keep of the wounded traveller for a day or two, to be supplemented if necessary on the return of the Samaritan. (This is the most natural way to explain the reference ; see Julicher, Gleichnisreden, ii. 591. On the other hand, Ramsay in Hastings' BB, Ext. Vol. 394, holds that the two denarii were simply payment for the one night that the two had spent in the inn).
Of special interest is the reference to the denarius in Mt 22i8 = Mk 12^^ = 'Lk 20-^ in conne.xion with the Pharisees' question as to the lawfulness of pay- ing tribute to Ctesar. The denarius was ' the money of the tribute' (Mt 22^^), all Imperial taxes being p<ayable in terms of it in accordance Avith a rescript of Gernianicus (c. a.d. 18). It bore upon it the name and title of the reigning Emperor, along with the effigy either of himself or of some member of the Imperial family — the ' image and superscription ' to which our Lord alluded. It was issued by the Imperial authority, even the Roman Senate having only the right to mint copper coins, and could thus most appropriately be spoken of as ' that which is Caesar's.'