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Mithras in Dacia

Roman Dacia preserves one of the densest and most frontier-oriented bodies of Mithraic evidence in the empire.

The Mithraic evidence documented in Roman Dacia is closely linked to military communities, mining districts, colonial foundations and the intense mobility that followed the province’s conquest. Its rich corpus of monuments and inscriptions makes Dacia one of the most important regions for understanding Mithraism along the Danubian frontier.

Mithraic monuments of Dacia

See all Mithraic monuments in Dacia

Provinces of Dacia

 

Dacia Malvensis

Within the southern sectors of Roman Dacia, Dacia Malvensis preserves evidence linked to military mobility and provincial urbanisation.

 

Dacia superior

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

Places in Dacia

 

Alsóbajom

The locality of Alsóbajom is associated with archaeological material attributed to the Roman province of Dacia.

 

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.

 

Aquae

Aquae was associated with thermal springs and communications routes in the region of modern Călan.

 

Botoșești-Paia

The locality of Botoșești-Paia has yielded material connected with the Danubian provincial landscape.

 

Bruckla

The locality of Bruckla is associated with archaeological remains from the Roman province of Dacia.

 

Bumbești-Gorj

Jiu valley site associated with the defensive system linking Dacia to the southern Danubian regions.

 

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.

 

Cioroiu Nou

Cioroiu Nou is known for archaeological remains connected with settlement activity in Dacia.

 

Dierna

Dierna occupied a strategic position along the Danube corridor near the Iron Gates region of southwestern Dacia.

 

Dragu

Dragu is associated with archaeological discoveries from the inland territory of Roman Dacia.

 

Drobeta

Drobeta controlled an important crossing point on the Danube and became one of the major centres of Dacia.

 

Maros Porto

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

See all Mithraic sites in Dacia

Inscriptions from Dacia

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 Mithraicinscriptions from Dacia

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