διφθέρα

A. prepared hide, piece of leather, Hdt. 1.194; ἐκ διφθερέων πεποιημέναι κυνέαι Id. 7.77; διφθέραι, opp. δέρρεις (hides), Th. 2.75; of a drum, Hero Aut. 20.4; esp. as writing-material, τὰς βύβλους διφθέρας καλέουσι ἀπὸ τοῦ παλαιοῦ οἱ Ἴωνες Hdt. 5.58; δ. μελαγγραφεῖς E. Fr. 627; δ. βασιλικαί, of Persian records, Ctes. ap. D.S. 2.32; δ. ἱεραί, at Carthage, Plu. 2.942c; χαλκαῖ δ., ib. 297a, cf. Sch.Il. 1.175: prov., ἀρχαιότερα τῆς διφθέρας λέγεις Diogenian. 3.2; used for bindings, διφθέρας περιβάλλειν (sc. βιβλίοις) Luc. Ind. 16.

II. anything made of leather, leathern jerkin, Ar. Nu. 72, Pl. Cri. 53d, SIG 1259.6 (iv B. C.), Men. Epit. 12, Luc. Tim. 6,38, Arr. An. 7.9.2, etc.; properly, of goatskin, opp. μηλωτή, Ammon. Diff. p.44 V.

2. wallet, bag, X. An. 5.2.12, Lib. Or. 58.5.

3. pl., skins used as tents, X. An. 1.5.10, Phylarch. 41 J.