This is also a topic that I am curious about. Here are my views. First, I suggest we disregard the word FARTHING because it is a merely a word used by translators, it is not found in the original text and I think it confuses the issue.
There is no doubt that in the
Roman monetary system a
QUADRANS is one fourth of an AS.
However the words we are talking about are Greek. It is my understanding the Greek word KODRANTES is referring to the
Roman QUADRANS. And that that the Greek word
ASSARION is the referring to the
Roman AS.
If this is true, then the KODRANTES is one fourth of an
ASSARION – therefore not the same size. It is also my understanding that the AS coin grew smaller over time.
I
hope this helps your own thoughts on this matter...