† 1. panthēra, ae, f., = πάνθηρ, like statera for στατήρ (masc. collat. form pan-ther, Auct. Carm. Phil. 50), a panther: pictarumque jacent fera corpora pantherarum, Ov. M. 3, 669; cf. Plin. 8, 17, 23, § 62: panthera imprudens olim in foveam decidit, Phaedr. 3, 2, 2.
The Romans were fond of introducing it in their combats of wild beasts, Cic. Fam. 2, 11, 2; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 4, 5; 8, 9, 3.