This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience.
Find out more on how we use cookies in our privacy policy.

 
Enter
Support The New Mithraeum The New Mithraeum is an independent, non-profit project dedicated to Mithraic studies, ancient religions and classical culture. Developed and maintained independently since 2007, the site exists without advertising, paywalls or institutional funding. If you have found value in its articles, interviews, photographs or database, please consider supporting the project with a contribution. Every contribution helps keep The New Mithraeum open, free and alive. Thank you.
Support us →
Provincia

Mithras in Dacia superior

Dacia superior formed part of one of the most intensely Mithraic frontier regions of the Roman empire after the conquest of Trajan.

The corpus from Dacia superior reflects the rapid diffusion of Mithraic cults through military settlements, colonial foundations and mining districts established after the Roman conquest of Dacia. Urban centres and frontier mobility played a central role in the implantation of the cult across the province.

Mithraic monuments of Dacia superior

See all Mithraic monuments in Dacia superior

Places in Dacia superior

 

Apulum

Apulum, now within Alba Iulia, was a Roman settlement first mentioned by the mathematician, astrologer and geographer Ptolemy. Its name comes from the Dacian Apoulon.

 

Cibinium

Roman settlement of Dacia superior located in the area of present-day Sibiu in Romania. The site became an important urban and military centre, later developed into the medieval city known as Hermannstadt in German and Nagyszeben in Hungarian.

 

Maros Porto

Sighișoara is a municipality on the Târnava Mare River in Mureș County, central Romania.

 

Napoca

Napoca was a Roman castra in the province of Dacia.

 

Ozd

Ózd is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary, 40 km from the county seat of Miskolc.

 

Potaissa

Potaissa was a castra in the Roman province of Dacia, located in today's Turda, Romania.

 

Sarmizegetusa

Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa was the capital and the largest city of Roman Dacia, later named Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa after the former Dacian capital, located some 40 km away. The city was destroyed by the Goths.

 

Tibiscum

Tibiscum was a Dacian town mentioned by Ptolemy, later a Roman castra and municipium.

 

Gherla

Inscriptions from Dacia superior

Column of Dioscorus from Alba Iulia

Invicto / Mythrae / Diosco/rus Marci / v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
To the Invincible Mithras, Dioscorus, servant of Marcus, willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow.

Tauroctony from Aelius Maximus of Turda

Ael[ius] Maximus miles / leg[ionis] V Mac[edonicae] v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] p[osuit].
Aelius Maximus, soldier of the Legio V Macedonica, willingly fulfilled his vow and placed [this].

Tauroctony relief from Alba Iulia

D[eo] i[nvicto] M[ithrae] T[itus] Aur[elius] F[abia] [tribu] Marcus vet[eranus] leg[ionis] XIII g[eminae].
To the invincible god Mithras, Titus Aurelius Marcus, a member of the Fabia tribe, veteran of the legion XIII Gemina.

Tauroctony from Euthices from Apulum

D[eo] S[oli] i[nvicto] M[ithrae] / [pro salute et incolumi]tate M. Aurelii Timothei et Aur[elii] Maximii / [votum nuncupavit sol]vitq[ue] Euthices eorum l[ib[ertus]].
To the Unconquered Sun God Mithras, for the safety and well-being of M. Aurelius Timotheus and Aurelius Maximus. Euthices, their freedman, has made and paid his vow.

Altar of Chrestion from Alba Iulia

Invicto / Mythir/ae Chr/estion / v[otum] s[olvit].
To the invincible Mythra, Chrestion has fulfilled his vow.

Cautes with bull head of Sarmizegetusa

V[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].

Altar from Sarmizegetusa by Hermadio

Soli In/victo M/it[h]rae Ani/ceto Her/madio / votum / solvit / l[ibens] m[erito].

Cautopates of Sarmizegetusa with scorpion

Cautopati sa[crum] / Synethus adiu[t[or]] / tabul[arii] v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
Dedicated to Cautopates. Synethus, the accountant's assistant, willingly and rightly fulfilled his vow.

Tauroctony from Aelius Hylas from Doştat

Io[vi] S[oli] invi[cto] / deo genitori / r[upe] n[ato].
L. Aeli[us] Hylas [vicesimarius] l[ibertus] pr[o] sa[lute] et Horientis [sic] fil[ii] sui et Apuleia[e] eius signum numinis cum absidata / ex voto pos[uit].
To Jupiter Sol invincible, god progenitor born of rock.
Lucius Aelius Hylas, collector of the twentieth tax, freed, for his health, that of his son Horiens and [his wife] Apuleia, following a vow, had the image of the divinity placed with the niche.

Altar of Hermadio from Tibiscum

S[oli] I[nvicto] N[umini] M[ithrae] / pro salute / P[ubli] Ael[i] Mari / Hermadio / act[or] Turran[i] / Dii v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
To the Unconquered Sun, the divine Mithras, for the health of Publius Aelius Marus Hermadius, agent of Turranius, willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow to the gods.

Column to Nabarze of Protas

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.

Altar of Sextus Syntrophus

Invict[o] / Mythra[e] / Sex[tus] Syntr/ofus v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens].
Invictus Mithras, Sextus Syntrophus willingly fulfilled his vow.

See all Mithraic inscriptions from Dacia superior

Back to Top