In Greek mythology, Proteus is the shepherd of the ocean, serving as the master of the herd for Poseidon's seals, and known to sailors the world over as The Old Man In The Sea.  But in New Orleans, Proteus is one of the Three Gods of Mardi Gras, second only to the great Comus.  When people think of the grandeur of Carnival they imagine Proteus, whose ornate tableaux and lavish parades still command attention today.  The krewe is also responsible for beginning the tradition of "call-outs";  the proper method of inviting a lady to dance at a ball.  Due to an ordinance spearheaded by Dorothy Mae Taylor,  Proteus stopped marching in 1993, but returned to the streets in 2000 to herald the arrival of the new millenium and well received they were.  The return of Proteus re-established a link to the origins of modern Carnival and gave the celebrations a more nostalgic feel, particularly the recreation of the original 1882 King's float.  But it is the king's iconoclastic sea shell float that provides one of the most recognizable images of Carnival.

This krewe shares a Greek theme with the krewes of Adonis, Aphrodite, Argus,  Atlas,  Endymion, Hermes,  Iris,  Jason,  Morpheus,  Muses, Okeanos,  Orpheus,  Pegasus, Morpheus,  Pygmalion,  Rhea, Sparta, and  Zeus.

This krewe is among those krewes that present flambeaux, including the krewes of Babylon, Chaos, d'Etat, Druids, Hermes, Orpheus, Saturn, and Sparta.