Syndexios

Ursinus

A third-century dedicant from St. Urban, attested by an offering to Deus Invictus Metras.

Biography
of Ursinus

Ursinus is attested as a member of a Mithraic community (syndexios).
Attested at Virunum, Noricum in 2nd half of 3rd century (TNMM 532).

TNMP 161

Little is known of Ursinus beyond a dedication to Mithras found at St. Urban in Carinthia in 1838 (TNMM 532; CIL III 4804; CIMRM 1443). The inscribed slab records a gift to the invincible god and preserves the unusual form Metras for Mithras, together with the non-standard posuet for posuit.

Ursinus is known from a dedication to Mithras discovered in 1838 at St. Urban in Noricum. His offering, found in a cave used as a Mithraic sanctuary, invokes the god as Deus Invictus Metras, an unusual rendering of Mithras’ name.

Clauss associates both the location of this sanctuary and the distinctive form Deo Invicto Metras with Mithraic worship among the local population. Ursinus may therefore have belonged to this regional milieu, although the inscription itself provides no information about his occupation, social status or Mithraic grade.

The dedication is generally assigned to the third century and remains the only known evidence for Ursinus.