ὀψώνιον

ὀψώνιον — opsṓnion

ὀψώνιον, ὀψωνιου, τό (from ὄψον — on which see ὀψάριον, at the beginning — and ὠνέομαι to buy), a later Greek word (cf. Sturz, De dial. Maced. et Alex., p. 187; Phryn. ed. Lob., p. 418), properly, whatever is bought to be eaten with bread, as fish, flesh, and the like (see ὀψάριον). And as grain, meat, fruits, salt, were given to soldiers instead of pay (Caesar b. g. 1, 23, 1; Polybius 1, 66f; 3, 13, 8), ὀψώνιον began to signify:

1. universally, a soldier's pay, allowance (Polybius 6, 39, 12; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 9, 36), more commonly in the plural (Winers Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 24 (21)) ὀψώνια, properly, that part of a soldier's support given in place of pay (i. e. rations) and the money in which he is paid (Polybius 1, 67, 1; 6, 39, 15; 1Ma 3:28 1Ma 14:32; 1Es 4:56; Josephus, Antiquities 12, 2, 3): Luk 3:14; 1Co 9:7 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 7 d.).

2. metaphorically, wages: singular 2Co 11:8; τῆς ἁμαρτίας, the hire that sin pays, Rom 6:23.