Thequadrans (lit. 'a quarter') orteruncius (lit. 'three unciae') was a low-value Romanbronzecoin worth one quarter of anas. Thequadrans was issued from the beginning ofcast bronze coins during theRoman Republic, showing three pellets representing threeunciae as a mark of value. The obverse type, after some early variations, featured the bust ofHercules, while the reverse featured the prow of agalley. Coins with the same value were issued from other cities in Central Italy, using a cast process.
Afterc. 90 BC, when bronze coinage was reduced to the semuncial standard, thequadrans became the lowest-valued coin in production. Survivingquadrantes from this period (though that name is not shown on the coins) typically have weights between 1.5 grams and 4 grams, perhaps depending in part on the alloy or metals contained.[1] It was produced sporadically until the time ofAntoninus Pius (AD 138–161). Unlike other coins during the Roman Empire, thequadrans rarely bore the image of the emperor, due to its small size.
The Greek word for thequadrans was κοδράντης(kodrantes), which was translated in theKing James Version of theBible as "farthing" (which itself means fourth- + -ing).[2] In theNew Testament a coin equal to one half the Attic chalcus was worth about 3/8 of a cent. In theGospel of Mark, when apoor widow gave twomites or λεπτά (lepta) to theTemple Treasury, the gospel writer noted that this amounted to onequadrans.[3]