Biography
of Protas
- Protas is attested as a member of a Mithraic community (syndexios) at the Mithraeum of Sarmizegetusa.
- Attested in the late 2nd – early 3rd century.
- Attested in Sarmizegetusa, Dacia superior, Dacia in late 2nd – early 3rd century (TNMM 631).
TNMP 208
Protas was the slave assistant to the imperial treasurer, the slave Ampliatus. He dedicated an altar in the Mithraeum of Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, to the god Nabarze for the salvation of Ampliatus and his people.
References
- Csaba Szabó (2024) ‘The mithraeum from Colonia Sarmizegetusa: on the limits of materiality of religion’. Contextualizing ’Oriental’ Cults, 281-308.
- Csaba Szabó (2014) Notes on the Mithraic small finds from Sarmizegetusa.
- Epigraphic Database Heidelberg. Column to Nabarze of Protas in EDH.
- Alfred Shenington Geden. Column to Nabarze of Protas in EDCS.
- Lupa.at (2022) 15152 Altar für Nabarzes.
- Philippe Roy & Laurent Bricault (2021) Les cultes de Mithra dans l’Empire romain.
Attestations
Column to Nabarze of Protas
TNMM 631
This column found in the Mithraeum of Sarmizegetusa bears an inscription to Nabarze instead of Mithras.
Nabarze / deo / pro sal[ute] Ampliati / Aug[usti] n[ostri] disp[ensatoris] et / sua suorumq[ue] / omnium / Protas vikar[ius] / eius.
To the god Nabarze, for the salvation of Ampliatus, [slave] treasurer to our emperor, and for himself and all his people, Protas, his deputy.
Mithraeum of Sarmizegetusa
TNMM 57
The large number of monuments found at the Mithraeum of Sarmizegetusa and the sheer size of the temple are unusual.
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