Antiq. [a. L. stater, a. Gr. στατήρ, f. στα-, ἱστάναι (see STAND v.) in the sense ‘to weigh.’]
1. An ancient weight.
According to Isidore, Etym., XVI. xxv. it was half an ounce. In antiquity it was variously 2, 3, and 4 drachmæ.
1382. Wyclif, Ezek. iv. 10. Thi meet … shal be in weiȝt twenti stateris [1611 shekels (lit. from Heb.), LXX. σίκλους, Vulg. stateres] that is ten ouncis.
1631. Anchoran, Comenius’ Gate Tongues, 170. A statere [L. statera] is a weauers or clothiers pound to be carried.
2. A name of various ancient coins.
The gold coins so called were the Persian stater or DARIC, worth about £1 1s. 3d., the Athenian stater, the Cyzicene stater. The name was also applied to various silver coins; in Roman times chiefly to the TETRADRACHM, as in Matt. xvii. 27.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xvii. 27. His [sc. the fish’s] mouth openyd, thou shalt fynde stater, that is, a certeyn of moneye.
1483. Caxton, Golden Leg., 202/4. He fond the Statere or piece of money in the fisshes mouth.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. viii. 32. Antoninus, whose apprehensions so honoured his Poems, that … for every verse, hee assigned him a Stater of gold.
1771. M. Raper, Anc. Money, in Phil. Trans., LXI. 48. The silver Stater, or Tetradrachm, is the most common Attic coin now remaining.
1854. J. D. Burns, Vis. Prophecy, 49. A fish to Peter’s hook the Stater brings.
1881. Jowett, Thucyd., I. 216. The penalty was fixed at a stater. Note. If the gold stater, about 16s.; if the silver Athenian stater, about 3s. 3d.; if the silver Corinthian stater (ten Aeginetan obols), about 2s. 2d.
