Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
Two Roman bronze coins
One (Matt. 5:26; Mark 12:42), worth of a cent; the other (Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:6), worth 14 cents.
Concise Bible Dictionary:
See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
“658. The Assarius” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Matthew 10:29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
‘Aσσάριον is one of the two words rendered “farthing” in our version.
It was the Roman as or assarius, a copper coin, equal in value to a tenth of a denarius, (see note on Matt. 20:2, #683) or three farthings English, or one cent and a half American.
In Luke 12:6, two assaria are spoken of. It is thought that a single coin is there intended of the value of two assaria. The Vulgate has dipondius. Madden says: “It is very clear from the fact of the word dupondius, or dipondius, which was equal to two asses, and was a coin of itself, being substituted for the two assaria of the Greek text, that a single coin is intended by this latter expression. This idea is fully borne out by the coins of Chios. The Greek autonomous copper coins of this place have inscribed upon them the words ACCAPION, ACCAPIA ΔΨΩ or ΔΨΟ and ACCAPIA TPIA” (History of Jewish Coinage, p. 243).
“742. Mite Farthing” From Manners and Customs of the Bible:
Mark 12:42. She threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
See also Luke 21:2.
1. The λεπτόν, or “mite,” was the smallest Greek copper coin. Its value was the eighth part of an assarion; thus making it worth about one fifth of one cent, or three eighths of one farthing. See note on Matthew 10:29 (#658). It is also mentioned in Luke 12:59.
2. The κοδρύντης, or “farthing,” was the smallest Roman brass coin, and was worth the fourth part of an assarion, and equal to two lepta, or mites; that is, about two fifths of one cent, or three fourths of one farthing. It is also mentioned in Matthew 5:26.
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