Quadrans

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For the obsolete constellation, see Quadrans Muralis.

Circa 275-270 BC.

Cast coin. O/ bust of Hercules l.;three pellets. R/ Prow of galley;three pellets.

Teruncius (Apulia, Luceria. Circa 220 BC

Augustus Quadrans

Quadrans of Domitian

The quadrans (literally meaning "a quarter") was a low-value Roman bronze coin worth one fourth of an as. The quadrans was issued from the beginning of cast bronze coins during the Roman Republic with three pellets representing three unciae as a mark of value. The obverse type, after some early variations, featured the bust of Hercules, while the reverse featured the prow of a galley. Coins with the same value were issued from other cities in Central Italy, using a cast process.

After ca. 90 BC, when bronze coinage was reduced to the semuncial standard, the quadrans became the lowest-valued coin in production. It was produced sporadically until the time of Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD). Unlike other coins during the Roman Empire, the quadrans rarely bore the image of the emperor. The quadrans was also known as teruncius, i.e. "three unciae".

The Greek word for the quadrans was κοδράντης (kodrantes), which was translated in the King James Version of the Bible as "farthing".