Bible Lexicons

We can supply no instance of the fem, προστάτις (Romans 16:2), ";protectress,"; ";patroness,"; from our sources, but the masc. προστάτης is common in various connotations, e.g. BGU IV. 1136.2 (c. B.C. II) Ἀπολλώνιος. . . Τρύφωνι. . προστάτηι ἐράν [ων χαίρειν, P Oxy II. 2994 (late i/A.D.) Διονυσίῳ προσ [τ ]άτῃ Νεμερῶν κέκρηκα (δραχμὰς) η ¯, ";I have also lent Dionysius, the chief man of Nemerae, 8 drachmae"; (Edd.), and ib. XI. 1150.1 (vi/A.D.) ὁ θεὸς τοῦ προστάτου ἡμῶν τοῦ ἁγίου Φιλοξένου, ";the god of Saint Philoxenus our patron."; The title is applied to the officebearer in a heathen religious association in Foucart Associations Religieuses p. 202, No. 2034 (Imperial times) (= CIG I. 126) δοκιμα [ζέ ]τω δὲ ὁ προστάτης [καὶ ὁ ] ἀρχιερανιστὴς καὶ ὁ γραμματεὺς κα [ὶ οἱ ] ταμίαι καὶ σύνδικοι : cf. SH ad Rom l.c., and Otto Priester ii. p. 75, n.1 See also CR i. p. 6, and Field Notes p. 166.

For the verb προστατέω cf. P Petr II. 13 (19)4 (c. B.C. 252) (= Witkowskis2, p. 18) where a son writes to his father, οὐ ] μὴν οὐθὲν ἐμοὶ [ἔσται με ]ῖζον ἢ σοῦ προστατῆσα [ι τὸν ] ἐ [π ]ίλοιπον βίον, ἀξίως [μὲ ]ν σοῦ, ἀξίως δ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ";there will be nothing of more importance for me than to look after you for the remainder of life, in a manner worthy of you, and worthy of me"; : for the subst. προστασία, cf. P Par 63113 (B.C. 164) (= P Petr III. p. 28) τοῦ προγεγραμμένου πλή [θο ]υς προστασίαι [π ]ροσεδρεύων, ";putting pressure on the leaders of the persons just described"; (Mahaffy) : and for the adj προστατικός, cf. P Oxy XVI. 1857.1 (vi/vii A.D.) ἀπέσ ̣τ ̣ε ̣ι ̣λα τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ προστατικῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ. . . , ";I send to your protecting magnificence . .";