denarius Summary and Overview

(containing ten), Authorized Version "penny," #Mt 18:28; 20:2,9,13| a Roman silver coin in the time of our Saviour and the Apostles, worth about 15 cents. It took its name from its being first equal to ten "asses," a number afterwards increased to sixteen. It was the principal silver coin of the Roman commonwealth. From the parable of the laborers in the vineyard it would seem that a denarius was then the ordinary pay for a day's labor. #Mt 20:2,4,7,9,10,13|

DENA'RIUS , a Roman silver coin nearly equivalent to the Greek drachma, and worth about 15 cents; translated in Roman Denarius. (From Eielwi.) the A.V. "penny," which makes the impression of a very small sum; it was really the amount of a day's wages. Matt 20:2; comp. Luke 10:35. "Shilling" would be a much nearer equivalent; but the better way would have been to transfer the Greek term into English (denar), as the evangelists retained the Latin term in the Greek. See Penny.