Enciclopedia Cattolica Vol. IV, 1950 Sacred Scripture Particular topics

Didrachma

DIDRAMMA

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DIDRACHMA. - A silver coin worth two drachmas, also designated by the term stater (στατής). It corresponded to half a shekel of the Hebrew monetary system, and constituted the tax that every Israelite had to pay, as a contributor for worship, to the temple of Jerusalem. This tax was also paid by Jesus, who procured the coin in a miraculous way (Mt. 17:23-26).

In the Latin translation of 2 Macc. (4:19; 10:20) the term d. is found, while in the Greek text there is mention of simple drachmas; in the Septuagint, moreover, the Hebrew shekel ("shekel", v.) is often improperly translated with this word, though it actually had twice the value of the Attic d. (Gen. 23:15-16; Ex. 21:32 etc.).

Angelo Penna

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By Angelo Penna

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Translated from the Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV (1950), col. 1570.

More by Angelo Penna: Dina (Heb. Dīnāh) · God · Papal Diplomacy · Dupondius (Dupondio) · De Rossi, Azaria

Cite this article

Chicago

Penna, Angelo. “Didramma.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV, col. 1570. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950. https://azioneromana.com/article/didramma.

MLA

Penna, Angelo. “Didramma.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. IV, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1950, col. 1570. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/didramma.

BibTeX

@incollection{ec4_didramma,
  author    = {Penna, Angelo},
  title     = {Didramma},
  booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
  volume    = {IV},
  pages     = {1570},
  note      = {Cited by column},
  publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
  address   = {Città del Vaticano},
  year      = {1950},
  url       = {https://azioneromana.com/article/didramma}
}

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