MONEY OF THE BIBLE.
Standardized Forms Anterior to Coinage (§ 1).
The Unit of Value. Ratio of Gold to Silver (§ 2)
The Earliest Coins (§ 3).
Maccabean Coins (§ 4).
The Roman Time (§ 5).
Coins of the New Testament (§ 6).
Value of the Coins (§7).
Even prior to the Israelites' occupation of Canaan, gold and silver were standards of value and mediums of exchange in that country. In the Old Testament no other metals are named in this connection. The word keseph, " silver," is the usual Hebrew term for money in general (cf. i. Stand- the Latin argentum) , showing the inardized fluence of Babylonia, where silver, the Forms An- " moon metal/' was the basis of the terior to fiscal system. Coined money was not Coinage, known before the Exile; in making payments the gold or silver was weighed (Gen. xxiii. 16; II Sam. xviii. 12; I Kings xx. 39; cf. the marginal readings). The scales and appertaining weights were carried in a bag at the girdle (Deut. xxv. 13; Isa. xlvi. 6; Prov. xvi. 11). This does not exclude the probability, of course, that these " pieces of money " were used mostly in prescribed forms, the weight of which was known, and which, accordingly, it was not always necessary to weigh out expressly. In the Egyptian tribute-lists and paintings, gold appears in the shape of bars (cf. Polybius, x., xxvii. 12; Pliny, Hist, nat., XXXIII., iii. 17) and especially rings. The ring form is perhaps indicated by the use of the Hebrew kikkar (" circle ") for talent. Since in I Sam. ix. 8 the fourth part of a shekel of silver is mentioned, inference points to a silver piece of definite form. Whether kesitah (Gen. xxxiii. 19; Josh, xxiv. 32; Job xlii. 11) denotes a definite piece of money, or is an otherwise unknown designation of weight, remains uncertain; and it is likewise uncertain whether the golden " wedge " or " tongue " of Josh. vii. 21 was a species of gold bar or an ornament (but see Gezer, § 5). These rings or bars were proportioned according to divisions or multiples of the unit of weight; the gold rings discovered in Egypt weigh &, &, ^, •&, of the standard mina, that is, 2, 3, 4, 5 standard shekels.
The shekel, the unit of weight, was also the unit of value (cf. the terms lira, livre, pound, as applied to coins). In the course of time, however, this occasioned practical difficulties in connection with the conventional ratio of gold to silver. In all western Asia, this was the standing ratio of 1 : 13}, assumed under the influence of astral mythology, wherein each planet has its own metal. Silver is moon metal; gold, sun metal; the lunar and solar
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Monasticism Money of the Bible
revolutions bear the proportion of 27 : 360 = 1 : 13 i.
From this it resulted that 1 standard gold shekel =
13^ standard silver shekels, which,
2. The however, was not a ratio that found Unit of practical currency in the circulation of Value. gold and silver money. If the gold
Ratio of shekel were made the base of corn- Gold to parison, then the silver unit had to Silver. be so modified that it both stood in a convenient ratio to the gold shekel and yet aptly coincided with the weight system. This was done by making the silver shekel either i0 or iV (in value) of the gold shekel; that is, xV or ^s °f ^tr3" of a mina (1 gold shekel = —6^ of a silver mina). In the former case the result was a piece weighing -fa of a mina = 10.913 gr., or tV of a gold shekel in value; in the latter case xfj of a mina = 7.275 gr., or xV of a gold shekel in value. Both silver units are found in use; and they both alike bear the name of "shekel," though having nothing to do with the shekel of weight. The fifteen-shekel basis was in use prior to the Persian era; and this lesser shekel is halved and quartered (Ex. xxx. 13; I Sam. ix. 8). A half shekel (J of xib~ of a mina), in terms of this lesser shekel, = i of the greater shekel (|X ji= xf -5 of a mina) . The greater shekel ( = xV of a gold shekel) then came to have currency through the Persian monetary system. It is subdivided into thirds, for at this period the temple assessment is one-third of a shekel (Neh. x. 32). The Persian monetary system had for its basis the smaller talent; and the Persian shekel was half the Babylonian. In the Maccabean period, the fifteen-shekel basis again came into current use. In the time of Christ, the temple tribute was a half-shekel ( = 2 drachma?, according to Josephus, Ant. III., viii. 2; Matt. xvii. 24, 27). The Maccabean coins are a determining factor in these questions; the shekels vary in weight from 14.50 to 14.65 gr.; an amount or value corresponding to xIt of the great Babylonian mina (14.55 gr.). So the entire scheme of minas and talents was once more adjusted to this twofold basis of the silver shekel; and specifically the mina to the equivalent of 50 shekels (see Weights and Measures).
Stamped coins did not begin to circulate among
the Jews until the Persian period. The earliest ones
named in the Old Testament are the darics (Ezra
viii. 27, R. V.; I Chron. xxix. 7, R. V.),
3. The by which name is also designated the Earliest gold stater of Croesus (Ezra ii. 69,
Coins. R. V.; the A. V reads " drams " in the three passages; Heb. adharkon = daric, darkemon = drachma). The real darics, i.e., the gold piece which Darius Hystaspes made a national coin, weighed 8.40 gr., or very nearly -jV of the lighter Babylonian mina. The corresponding silver coin (Gk. sighs Medikos) is mentioned in Neh. v. 15, and x. 33, under the ancient name, shekel. Subsequently, too, Alexander's coins (gold staters and silver coins) were current in Palestine, and some of Alexander's tetradrachmse have been discovered. They were succeeded, as rulers changed, by the coins of the Ptolemies and Seleucidae. By the terms of an edict of Antiochus VII. in
the year 174 of the Seleucidan era (139-138 B.C.; I Mace. xv. 6), Simon Maccabeus was authorized to stamp coins of his own. But whether the coins that are so frequently ascribed to him, dated 4. Mac- in the years 1 to 5, belong to him and cabean to the era of Jerusalem beginning in Coins. 143-142 b.c. (170 of the Seleucidan era), or whether they did not rather originate in the years 66-70 a.d., is doubtful (cf. Schurer, Geschichte, i. 192). There are silver shekels and half-shekels; on one side is a lily, with the inscription " Jerusalem the Holy "; on the other, a cup and the inscription " shekel of Israel," with no mention of the ruling prince, though the year is given. Some copper coins of Simon's successors are known with various designs. The first prince who had his name stamped on these coins was John Hyrcanus. The Greek language was first utilized by Alexander Jannseus, the Hebrew for " King Jonathan " appearing with the Greek translation, BASILEOS ALEXANDROU, on his coins.
In the Roman period the provinces were licensed to issue none but copper coins under their own stamp; so that copper coins are the only ones known prior to the Herodian line. The de- 5. The signs vary, — cups (or vases), anchors, Roman tripods, three ears (of wheat), etc. No Time. silver coins were struck again till during the two insurrections under Vespasian and Hadrian. The coins of Eleazar, during the first insurrection, bear on the obverse a pitcher, on the reverse a cluster of grapes, and are dated according to the "Years of Israel's Liberation." Bar-Kokba's coins show similar notation of date, and bear the name "Simon." In many instances the new Jewish stamp is simply imprinted upon old Roman denarii. Even down to the latest period the larger places of Palestine retained the right to stamp small coin (cf. the coins of Hadrian's time with the inscription Mlia Capitolina, i.e., Jerusalem).
Collaterally with the Jewish, the Greek and Roman coins were continually in use. The New Testament mentions the drachma (= \ shekel; Luke xv. 8) ; the double drachma or didrach- 6. Coins of ma (Matt. xvii. 24) ; the stater (acthe New cording to Matt. xvii. 27, where it is Testament, made the temple tax for two persons, = 4 Attic drachmae = 1 shekel); the lepton (= £ the Roman quadrans, Mark xii. 42; Luke xii. 59); and, of Roman coins, the denarius (Matt. xxii. 19; Mark xii. 15), the universal monetary unit in the Roman Empire, a silver coin of 3.898 gr., which was made legally equivalent in value to the Attic drachma; the as or assarion (Matt. x. 29; Luke xii. 6), a copper coin = *fe of a denarius; and the quadrans (Matt. v. 26; Mark xii. 42) = 1 of an assarion.
The bullion value of all these coins may easily be calculated, but this tells nothing in respect to the money's purchasing-power. Nor do many data of comparison exist to determine the latter factor. ■ Joseph was sold for twenty shekels, and in other cases a slave is valued at thirty shekels (Ex. xxi. 32; cf. Hos. iii. 2; Matt. xxvi. 15); at a later time, ; slaves were considerably dearer (II Mace. viii. 11).
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