among antiquaries, a goblet or vessel used by the Romans in their sacrifices; wherein they offered their consecrated meats to the gods, and where with they made libations. See SACRIFICE and LIBATION.

The word is Latin, formed from pateo, "I am open;" quasi patet, "because it has a great aperture;" in contradistinction to bottles, &c. which have only narrow necks, or whose aperture is less than the body of the vessel.

On medals the patera is seen in the hands of several deities; and frequently in the hands of princes, to Paterculus, mark the sacerdotal authority joined with the imperial, &c.

Hence F. Joubert observes, that beside the patera, there is frequently an altar upon which the patera seems to be pouring its contents.

The patera was of gold, silver, marble, brass, glass, or earth; and they used to inclose it in urns with the ashes of the deceased, after it had served for the libations of the wine and liquors at the funeral.

The patera is an ornament in architecture, frequently seen in the Doric freeze, and the tympana of arches; and they are sometimes used by themselves, to ornament a space; and in this case it is common to hang a string of husks or drapery over them: sometimes they are much enriched with foliage, and have a mask or a head in the centre.