Convert Bekan (Biblical Hebrew) (bekan) to Didrachma (Biblical Greek) (didrachma) instantly.
About these units
Bekan (Biblical Hebrew) (bekan)
The bekan (or beka) is a half-shekel unit, approximately 5.6 grams. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the required contribution for the census tax, symbolizing equality among contributors regardless of wealth. As a practical unit, the beka was useful for small-scale offerings, jewelry, and silverwork. Its precise half-shekel value made it easy to incorporate into the larger Hebrew weight structure. The bekan highlights how weights were intertwined with religious observance and communal obligations in ancient Israelite society.
Didrachma (Biblical Greek) (didrachma)
The didrachma, weighing around 8.5–9 grams, represented two drachmas. It appears in Greek, Roman, and biblical texts, often as a common temple tax or civic fee amount. Its moderate size made it practical for everyday transactions, bridging smaller denominations and larger, more valuable coins such as tetradrachms. The didrachma's consistent appearance in multiple cultures shows how interconnected the ancient Mediterranean economies were.