Statue of Dionysus wearing a laurel wreath in the British Museum, London

Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman Liber), is the god of wine and inspired madness, and a major figure of Greek mythology. He represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences. The geographical origins of his cult were unknown, but almost all myths depicted him as having "foreign" (i.e. non-Greek) origins.^[1] Dionysos or Dionysus is an ancient deity. ... Theophory is a reference to the naming practice of adding a gods name (or the local equivalent of the generic term for god) to an individuals proper name. ... Several people in history have been known by the name Dionysius: Dionysius of Syracuse, a tyrant Dionysius the Elder, a Greek mythological figure Dionysius the Areopagite, a citizen of Corinth who was converted by Paul of Tarsus Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, identified by some with a Georgian theologist Peter the... London museum | name = British Museum | image = British Museum from NE 2. ... The ancient Greeks proposed many different ideas about the primordial gods in their mythology. ... This article is about the race of Titans in Greek mythology. ... The ancient Greeks had a very small number of see gods. ... For other uses, see Chthon (disambiguation). ... For the rock band, see Muse (band). ... Asclepius (Greek , transliterated AsklÄ“piós; Latin Aesculapius) is the demigod of medicine and healing in ancient Greek mythology. ... The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ... Neptune reigns in the city of Bristol. ... For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, virginal Hestia,(Roman name, Vesta) daughter of Cronus and Rhea, (ancient Greek ) is the goddess of the hearth, of the right ordering of domesticity and the family, who received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. ... This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This is the Greek name of the capital of the Hellenic Republic (Greece). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... This article is about the ancient Greek god; for other uses, see Ares (disambiguation). ... Hephaestus (pronounced or ; Greek HÄ“phaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. ... Religion in ancient Rome combined several different cult practices and embraced more than a single set of beliefs. ... Bacchus by Caravaggio Dionysus, the name of a god, is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius. ... God, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or goddesses while the term goddess specifically refers to a female deity, words like gods and deities can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender. ... For other uses, see Wine (disambiguation). ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... This article or section should be merged with intoxication Drunkenness, in its most common usage, is the state of being intoxicated with alcohol (i. ...

He was also known as Bacchus^[2] and the frenzy he induces, bakcheia. He is the patron deity of agriculture and the theatre. He was also known as the Liberator (Eleutherios), freeing one from one's normal self, by madness, ecstasy, or wine.^[3] The divine mission of Dionysus was to mingle the music of the aulos and to bring an end to care and worry.^[4] Scholars have discussed Dionysus' relationship to the "cult of the souls" and his ability to preside over communication between the living and the dead.^[5] Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... In Greek mythology, the gods Dionysus and Eros were both occasionally referred to as Eleutherios (the liberator). Categories: Mythology stubs | Greek gods ... A nude youth plays the aulos at a banquet: Attic red-figure cup by the Euaion Painter, ca. ...

In Greek mythology Dionysus is made to be a son of Zeus and Semele; other versions of the myth contend that he is a son of Zeus and Persephone. He is described as being womanly or "man-womanish".^[6] For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Stimula redirects here. ... For other uses, see Myth (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Greek goddess. ...

The Ludovisi Dionysus with panther, satyr and grapes on a vine (Palazzo Altemps, Rome)

The name Dionysos is of uncertain significance; its -nysos element may well be non-Greek in origin, but its dio- element has been associated since antiquity with Zeus (genitive Dios). Nysa, for Greek writers, is either the nymph who nursed him, or the mountain where he was attended by several nymphs (the Nysiads), who fed him and made him immortal as directed by Hermes.^[7] Image File history File links Dionysos_panthère_satyre. ... Image File history File links Dionysos_panthère_satyre. ... The National Museum of Rome (Museo Nazionale Romano in Italian) is a set of museums in Rome, Italy, split between various branches across the city. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... The genitive case is a grammatical case that indicates a relationship, primarily one of possession, between the noun in the genitive case and another noun. ... In Greek mythology, the mountainous district of Nysa, variously associated with Ethiopia, Libya, Tribalia or Arabia by Greek mythographers, was the traditional place where the rain nymphs, the Hyades, raised the infant Dionysus, the god of Nysa. ... In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of female nature entities, either bound to a particular location or landform or joining the retinue of a god or goddess. ... The Nysiads or Nysiades were the nymphs who cared for and taught the infant Dionysus. ... For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ...

The retinue of Dionysus was called the Thiasus and comprised chiefly Maenads. A retinue (O. Fr. ... The Thiasus, in Greek mythology, was the retinue of Dionysus. ... In Greek mythology, Maenads [MEE-nads] were female worshippers of Dionysus, the Greek god of mystery, wine and intoxication. ...

Worship

Main article: Cult of Dionysus

The above contradictions suggest to some that we are dealing not with the historical memory of a cult that is foreign, but with a god in whom foreignness is inherent. And indeed, Dionysus's name is found on Mycenean Linear B tablets as "DI-WO-NI-SO-JO",^[8] and Karl Kerenyi^[9] traces him to Minoan Crete, where his Minoan name is unknown but his characteristic presence is recognizable. Clearly, Dionysus had been with the Greeks and their predecessors a long time, and yet always retained the feel of something alien. Mycenaean is the most ancient attested form of the Greek language, spoken on the Greek mainland and on Crete in the 16th to 11th centuries BC, before the Dorian invasion. ... This article is about the ancient syllabary. ... One of the founders of modern studies in Greek mythology, Karl (Carl, Károly) Kerényi (January 19, 1897 - April 14, 1973) was born in Hungary but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1943. ... The Minoans were an ancient pre-Hellenic civilization on what is now Crete (in the Mediterranean), during the Bronze Age, prior to classical Greek culture. ...

The bull, the serpent, the ivy and the wine are the signs of the characteristic Dionysian atmosphere, and Dionysus is strongly associated with satyrs, centaurs, and sileni. He is often shown riding a leopard, wearing a leopard skin, or in a chariot drawn by panthers, and may also be recognized by the thyrsus he carries. Besides the grapevine and its wild barren alter-ego, the toxic ivy plant, both sacred to him, the fig was also his symbol. The pinecone that tipped his thyrsus linked him to Cybele, and the pomegranate linked him to Demeter. The Dionysia and Lenaia festivals in Athens were dedicated to Dionysus. Initiates worshipped him in the Dionysian Mysteries, which were comparable to and linked with the Orphic Mysteries, and may have influenced Gnosticism^{[citation needed]}. The worship of the Sacred Bull throughout the ancient world is most familiar in the episode of the idol of the Golden Calf made by Aaron and worshipped by the Hebrews in the wilderness of Sinai (Exodus). ... For other uses, see Serpent (disambiguation). ... Species Hedera algeriensis – Algerian Ivy Hedera azorica – Azores Ivy Hedera canariensis – Canaries Ivy Hedera caucasigena Hedera colchica – Caucasian Ivy Hedera cypria Hedera helix – Common Ivy Hedera hibernica – Irish Ivy Hedera maderensis – Madeiran Ivy Hedera maroccana Hedera nepalensis – Himalayan Ivy Hedera pastuchowii – Pastuchovs Ivy Hedera rhombea – Japanese Ivy Hedera sinensis... A bald, bearded, horse-tailed satyr balances a winecup on his erect penis, a trick worthy of note, on an Attic red-figured psykter, ca. ... This article is about the mythological creatures. ... In Greek mythology, sileni were a race of half-horse, half-humans, unlike the satyrs, who were half-goat. ... This article is about the big cat. ... In the traditions of heraldry some animals are not presented naturalistically but filtered though centuries of folklore. ... In Greek mythology, a thyrsus or thyrsos was a giant fennel staff covered with ivy vines and leaves and topped with a pine cone. ... Look up Grapevine in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Grapevine can refer to several things. ... Species About 800, including: Ficus altissima Ficus americana Ficus aurea Ficus benghalensis- Indian Banyan Ficus benjamina- Weeping Fig Ficus broadwayi Ficus carica- Common Fig Ficus citrifolia Ficus coronata Ficus drupacea Ficus elastica Ficus godeffroyi Ficus grenadensis Ficus hartii Ficus lyrata Ficus macbrideii Ficus macrophylla- Moreton Bay Fig Ficus microcarpa- Chinese... A cone (in formal botanical usage: strobilus, plural strobili) is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta (conifers) that contains the reproductive structures. ... A fountain in Madrid depicting Cybele in her chariot drawn by lions, in the Plaza de Cibeles Originally a Phrygian goddess, Cybele (Greek: Κυβέλη) was a deification of the Earth Mother who was worshipped in Anatolia from Neolithic times. ... Binomial name L. The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5–8 m tall. ... This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... The Dionysia was a large religious festival in ancient Athens in honour of the god Dionysus, the central event of which was the performance of tragedies and comedies. ... The Lenaia was a dramatic but one of the lesser festivals in Athens and Ionia in ancient Greece. ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... Maened The Dionysian Mysteries probably began as an ancient initiation society, or family of similar societies, centred on a primeval nature god (and his consort), apparently associated with horned animals, serpents and solitary predators (primarily big cats), later known to the Greeks in the eclectic figure of Dionysus. ... For other senses of the word Orpheus, see Orpheus (disambiguation). ... Gnosticism (Greek: gnōsis, knowledge) refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect spirit, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God. ...

Bacchanalia

Main article: Bacchanalia

Bacchus by Caravaggio

Introduced into Rome (c. 200 BC) from the Greek culture of southern Italy or by way of Greek-influenced Etruria, the bacchanalia were held in secret and attended by women only, in the grove of Simila, near the Aventine Hill, on March 16 and 17. Subsequently, admission to the rites were extended to men and celebrations took place five times a month. The notoriety of these festivals, where many kinds of crimes and political conspiracies were supposed to be planned, led in 186 BC to a decree of the Senate — the so-called Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in Calabria (1640), now at Vienna — by which the Bacchanalia were prohibited throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree, the Bacchanalia were not stamped out, at any rate in the south of Italy, for a very long time. The Bacchanalia were wild and mystic festivals of the Roman god Bacchus. ... Download high resolution version (712x815, 90 KB)Bacchus by Caravaggio This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Download high resolution version (712x815, 90 KB)Bacchus by Caravaggio This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Bacchus (c. ... Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (September 28, 1573 – July 18, 1610), usually called Caravaggio after his hometown near Milan, was an Italian Baroque painter, whose large religious works portrayed saints and other biblical figures as ordinary people. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... The eastern hemisphere in 200 BC. Antiochus IIIs forces continue their invasion of Coele Syria, defeating the Egyptian general Scopas at Panion near the source of the Jordan River, and thus gaining control of Palestine. ... Magna Graecia around 280 b. ... The area covered by the Etruscan civilzation. ... The Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built. ... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC - 180s BC - 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC Years: 191 BC 190 BC 189 BC 188 BC 187 BC - 186 BC - 185 BC 184 BC... The Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus) was the main governing council of both the Roman Republic, which started in 509 BC, and the Roman Empire. ... For other uses, see Calabria (disambiguation). ... Events December 1 - Portugal regains its independence from Spain and João IV of Portugal becomes king. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ...

Dionysus is equated with both Bacchus and Liber (also Liber Pater). Liber ("the free one") was a god of fertility, wine and growth, married to Libera. His festival was the Liberalia, celebrated on March 17, but in some myths the festival was also held on March 5. Bacchus by Caravaggio Dionysus, the name of a god, is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius. ... In Roman mythology, Libera is a goddess of fertility and the Earth. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the day. ...

Appellations

Sculpture of Dionysus, commissioned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Qingdao Beer. Qingdao Beer Museum, Qingdao, Shandong province, China

Dionysus sometimes has the epithet Acratophorus, by which he was designated as the giver of unmixed wine, and worshipped at Phigaleia in Arcadia.^[10][11] In Sicyon he was worshiped by the name Acroreites.^[12] As Bacchus, he carried the Latin epithet Adoneus, "Ruler".^[13] Aegobolus, "goat killer", was the name under which he was worshiped at Potniae in Boeotia.^[14] As Aesymnetes ("ruler" or "lord") he was worshipped at Aroë and Patrae in Achaea. Another epithet was Bromios, "the thunderer" or "he of the loud shout". As Dendrites, "he of the trees", he is a powerful fertility god. Dithyrambos is sometimes used to refer to him or to solemn songs sung to him at festivals; the name refers to his premature birth. Eleutherios ("the liberator") was an epithet for both Dionysus and Eros. Other forms of the god as that of fertility include the epithet in Samos and Lesbos Enorches ("with balls"^[15] or perhaps "in the testicles" in reference to Zeus' sewing the babe Dionysus into his thigh, i.e., his testicles).^[16] Evius is an epithet of his used prominently in Euripides' play, The Bacchae. Iacchus, possibly an epithet of Dionysus, is associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries; in Eleusis, he is known as a son of Zeus and Demeter. The name "Iacchus" may come from the Ιακχος (Iakchos), a hymn sung in honor of Dionysus. With the epithet Liknites ("he of the winnowing fan") he is a fertility god connected with the mystery religions. A winnowing fan was similar to a shovel and was used to separate the chaff from the grain. In addition, Dionysus is known as Lyaeus ("he who unties") as a god of relaxation and freedom from worry, and as Oeneus he is the god of the wine press. Image File history File linksMetadata Dionysus_Qingdao_beer. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Dionysus_Qingdao_beer. ... Past packaging of Tsingtao Beer in a display at the Qingdao Beer Museum Tsingtao Brewery (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) (SEHK: 168) is Chinas largest brewery. ... Tsingtao redirects here. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shan-tung) is a coastal province of eastern Peoples Republic of China. ... Look up epithet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about a region of Greece. ... Sicyon was an ancient Greek city situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea. ... Boeotia or Beotia (//, (Greek Βοιωτια; see also list of traditional Greek place names) was the central area of ancient Greece. ... Aesymnetes (Gr. ... Patras (Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, IPA: , Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Latin: ) is Greeces third largest city and the capital of the prefecture of Achaea, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens. ... Achaea (Greek: , Achaïa; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is an ancient province and a present prefecture of Greece, on the northern coast of the Peloponnese, stretching from the mountain ranges of Erymanthus and Cyllene on the south to a narrow strip of fertile land on the... Bacchus by Caravaggio Dionysus, the name of a god, is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius. ... In Greek mythology, Eros was the god responsible for lust, love, and sex; he was also worshipped as a fertility deity. ... Samos (Greek: Σάμος) is a Greek island in the Eastern Aegean sea, located between the island of Chios to the North and the archipelagic complex of the Dodecanese to the South and in particular the island of Patmos and off the coast of Turkey, on what was formerly known as Ionia. ... Lesbos may refer to: Lesbos Island, a large Greek island in the Aegean Sea Lesbos Prefecture, the Greek prefecture that contains the island Slang word for Lesbians. ... A statue of Euripides. ... The Bacchae (also known as The Bacchantes) is a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. ... In Greek mythology, Iacchus is an uncertain person. ... The Eleusinian Mysteries (Greek: Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια) were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. ... Eleusis (Game) The cardgame invented by Robert Abbott in 1962, and later popularized in 1977 by Martin Gardner in his Mathematical Games column in Scientific American magazine. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... Mystery religions, or simply Mysteries, were belief systems of the Graeco-Roman world full admission to which was restricted to those who had gone through certain secret initiation rites. ... Shovel with wide blade - especially appropriate for lifting snow or coal A shovel is a tool for lifting and moving loose material such as coal, gravel, snow, soil, or sand. ... This entry incorporates text from Eastons Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation. ...

In the Greek pantheon, Dionysus (along with Zeus) absorbs the role of Sabazios, a Phrygian deity. In the Roman pantheon, Sabazius became an alternate name for Bacchus.^[17] A pantheon (from Greek Πάνθειον, temple of all gods, from πᾶν, all + θεός, god) is a set of all the gods of a particular religion or mythology, such as the gods of Hinduism, Norse, Egyptian, Shintoism, Greek, vodun, Yoruba Mythology and Roman mythology. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... Sabazios is the nomadic horseman sky and father god of the Phrygians and Thracians. ... In antiquity, Phrygia (Greek: ) was a kingdom in the west central part of the Anatolia. ... A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ...

Mythology

Birth

Dionysus had a strange birth that evokes the difficulty in fitting him into the Olympian pantheon. His mother was Semele (daughter of Cadmus), a mortal woman, and his father Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus's wife, Hera, a jealous and vain goddess, discovered the affair while Semele was pregnant. Appearing as an old crone (in other stories a nurse), Hera befriended Semele, who confided in her that her husband was actually Zeus. Hera pretended not to believe her, and planted seeds of doubt in Semele's mind. Curious, Semele demanded of Zeus that he reveal himself in all his glory as proof of his godhood. Though Zeus begged her not to ask this, she persisted and he agreed. Therefore he came to her wreathed in bolts of lightning; mortals, however, could not look upon a god without dying, and she perished in the ensuing blaze. Zeus rescued the fetal Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh. A few months later, Dionysus was born. In this version, Dionysus is borne by two mothers (Semele and Zeus) before his birth, hence the epithet dimetor (two mothers) associated with his being "twice-born". The Twelve Olympians, in Greek mythology, were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon, residing atop Mount Olympus. ... Stimula redirects here. ... Cadmus Sowing the Dragons teeth, by Maxfield Parrish, 1908 Caddmus, or Kadmos (Greek: Κάδμος), in Greek mythology, was the son of the king of Phoenicia (Modern day Lebanon) and brother of Europa. ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ... Commonly a synonym for Hag. ...

Early life

The legend goes that Zeus gave the infant Dionysus into the charge of Hermes. One version of the story is that Hermes took the boy to King Athamas and his wife Ino, Dionysus' aunt. Hermes bade the couple raise the boy as a girl, to hide him from Hera's wrath.^[18] Another version is that Dionysus was taken to the rain-nymphs of Nysa, who nourished his infancy and childhood, and for their care Zeus rewarded them by placing them as the Hyades among the stars (see Hyades star cluster). Other versions have Zeus giving him to Rhea, or to Persephone to raise in the Underworld, away from Hera. Alternatively, he was raised by Maro. The king of Orchomenus in Greek mythology, Athamas (rich harvest) was married first to the goddess Nephele with whom he had the twins Phrixus and Helle. ... Pentheus torn apart by Agave and Ino. ... In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of female nature entities, either bound to a particular location or landform or joining the retinue of a god or goddess. ... In Greek mythology, the mountainous district of Nysa, variously associated with Ethiopia, Libya, Tribalia or Arabia by Greek mythographers, was the traditional place where the rain nymphs, the Hyades, raised the infant Dionysus, the god of Nysa. ... In Greek mythology, two different groups of people were referred to as the Hyades (the rainy ones). Pluvius (he who sends rain) was also used to describe them. ... The Hyades (ÆΥάδες also known as Melotte 25 or Collinder 50 or Caldwell 41) is an open star cluster located in the constellation Taurus. ... In Greek mythology, Maro raised Dionysus when he was an infant. ...

When Dionysus grew up he discovered the culture of the vine and the mode of extracting its precious juice; but Hera struck him with madness, and drove him forth a wanderer through various parts of the earth. In Phrygia the goddess Cybele, better known to the Greeks as Rhea, cured him and taught him her religious rites, and he set out on a progress through Asia teaching the people the cultivation of the vine. The most famous part of his wanderings is his expedition to India, which is said to have lasted several years. Returning in triumph he undertook to introduce his worship into Greece, but was opposed by some princes who dreaded its introduction on account of the disorders and madness it brought with it. (See Pentheus or Lycurgus.) In antiquity, Phrygia (Greek: ) was a kingdom in the west central part of the Anatolia. ... A fountain in Madrid depicting Cybele in her chariot drawn by lions, in the Plaza de Cibeles Originally a Phrygian goddess, Cybele (Greek: Κυβέλη) was a deification of the Earth Mother who was worshipped in Anatolia from Neolithic times. ... In Greek mythology, Pentheus was a king of Thebes. ... In Ancient Greece and/or Greek mythology, the name Lycurgus/Lykurgus can refer to: An alternate name for Lycomedes. ...

As a young man, Dionysus was exceptionally attractive. Once, while disguised as a mortal sitting beside the seashore, a few sailors spotted him, believing he was a prince. They attempted to kidnap him and sail him far away to sell for ransom or into slavery. They tried to bind him with ropes, but no type of rope could hold him. Dionysus turned into a fierce lion and unleashed a bear onboard, killing those he came into contact with. Those who jumped off the ship were mercifully turned into dolphins. The only survivor was the helmsman, Acoetes, who recognized the god and tried to stop his sailors from the start.^[19] In a similar story, Dionysus desired to sail from Icaria to Naxos. He then hired a Tyrrhenian pirate ship. But when the god was on board, they sailed not to Naxos but to Asia, intending to sell him as a slave. So Dionysus turned the mast and oars into snakes, and filled the vessel with ivy and the sound of flutes so that the sailors went mad and, leaping into the sea, were turned into dolphins. Acoetes was a figure in Greek mythology. ... Icaria, also spelled Ikaria (Greek: ), locally Nikaria or Nicaria (Νικαριά), ancient name: Doliche (Δολίχη), is a Greek island 10 nautical miles (19 km) south-west of Samos. ... Naxos (Greek: Νάξος; Italian: Nicsia; Turkish: Nakşa) is a Greek island, the largest island (428 km²) in the Cyclades island group in the Aegean. ... The Tyrrhenians (Attic Greek Turrēnoi) or Tyrsenians (Ionic Tursēnoi, Doric Tursānoi) is an exonym used by Greek authors to refer to a non-Greek people. ...

Other stories

When Hephaestus bound Hera to a magical chair, Dionysus got him drunk and brought him back to Olympus after he passed out. The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... The ancient Greeks proposed many different ideas about the primordial gods in their mythology. ... This article is about the race of Titans in Greek mythology. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century. ... Pan (Greek , genitive ) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks, of mountain wilds, hunting and rustic music: paein means to pasture. ... In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of female nature entities, either bound to a particular location or landform or joining the retinue of a god or goddess. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... The ancient Greeks had a very small number of see gods. ... For other uses, see Chthon (disambiguation). ... Alcides redirects here. ... Hercules and the Hydra by Antonio Pollaiuolo The Twelve Labours (Greek: dodekathlos) of Heracles (Latin: Hercules) are a series of archaic episodes connected by a later continuous narrative, concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... For other uses, see Odysseus (disambiguation). ... This article is about Homers epic poem. ... This article is about the hero from Greek mythology. ... Jason returns with the golden Fleece on an Apulian red-figure calyx krater, ca. ... Perseus with the head of Medusa, by Antonio Canova, completed 1801 (Vatican Museums) Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas (Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας), the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths... For other uses, see Medusa (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Greek mythological monster. ... For other uses, see Oedipus (disambiguation). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Επτά επί Θήβας The Seven Against Thebes is a mythic narrative that finds its classic statement in the play by Aeschylus (467 BCE) concerning the battle between the Seven led by Polynices and the army of Thebes headed by Eteocles and his supporters, traditional Theban... Theseus (Greek ) was a legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with whom Aethra lay in one night (By some accounts, this was presented as a rape). ... This article is about the mythological monster. ... Triptolemus (threefold warrior; also Buzyges), in Greek mythology always connected with Demeter of the Eleusinian Mysteries, might be accounted the son of King Celeus of Eleusis in Attica, or, according to Apollodorus (Library I.v. ... The Eleusinian Mysteries (Greek: Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια) were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. ... A mystery religion is any religion with an arcanum, or body of secret wisdom. ... A bald, bearded, horse-tailed satyr balances a winecup on his erect penis, a trick worthy of note, on an Attic red-figured psykter, ca. ... This article is about the mythological creatures. ... Dragons play a role in Greek mythology. ... Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Greece in form of cult practices, there for the practical counterpart of Greek mythology. ... Hephaestus (pronounced or ; Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ...

Pentheus

Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian

Euripides wrote a tale concerning the destructive nature of Dionysus in The Bacchae. Since Euripides wrote this play while in the court of King Archelaus of Macedon, some scholars believe that the cult of Dionysus was malicious in Macedon but benign in Athens. In the play, Dionysus returns to his birthplace, Thebes, ruled by his cousin, Pentheus. He wanted to exact revenge on the women of Thebes, his aunts Agave, Ino and Autonoe and his cousin Pentheus, for not believing his mother Semele when she said she had been impregnated by Zeus, and for denying that Dionysus was a god and therefore not worshipping him. Pentheus was slowly driven mad by the compelling Dionysus, and lured to the woods of Mount Cithaeron to see the Maenads, female worshippers of Dionysus who often experienced divine ecstasy. When the women spotted Pentheus, they tore him to pieces like they did earlier in the play to a herd of cattle. Brutally, his head was torn off by his mother Agave as he begged for his life. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (781x707, 95 KB) Summary Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian National Gallery, London Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Ariadne National Gallery, London Bacchus and Ariadne ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (781x707, 95 KB) Summary Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian National Gallery, London Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Ariadne National Gallery, London Bacchus and Ariadne ... Bacchus and Ariadne (1520-3) is an oil painting by Titian. ... Also see: Titian (disambiguation). ... A statue of Euripides. ... The Bacchae (also known as The Bacchantes) is a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Euripides. ... Archelaus I was king of Macedon from 413 to 399 BC, following the death of Perdiccas II. The son of Perdiccas by a slave woman, Archelaus obtained the throne by murdering his uncle, his cousin, and his half-brother, the legitimate heir, but proved a capable and beneficent ruler, known... Ancient Macedons regions and towns Macedon or Macedonia (Greek ) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordered by the kingdom of Epirus to the west and the region of Thrace to the east. ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... For the ancient capital of Upper Egypt, see Thebes, Egypt. ... In Greek mythology, Pentheus was a king of Thebes. ... Agave (illustrious) was the queen of Thebes in Greek mythology, mother of Pentheus and daughter of Harmonia and Cadmus. ... In Greek mythology, Autonoë (Greek ) was a daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. ... Kithairon is a mountain range (No corner of Kithairon echoless, Oedipus Rex 440) about 10 mi (16 km) long, in central Greece, standing between Boeotia in the north and Attica in the south. ... In Greek mythology, Maenads [MEE-nads] were female worshippers of Dionysus, the Greek god of mystery, wine and intoxication. ...

Lycurgus

When King Lycurgus of Thrace heard that Dionysus was in his kingdom, he imprisoned all the followers of Dionysus; the god fled, taking refuge with Thetis, and sent a drought which stirred the people into revolt. Dionysus then made King Lycurgus insane, having him slice his own son into pieces with an axe, thinking he was a patch of ivy, a plant holy to Dionysus. An oracle then claimed that the land would stay dry and barren as long as Lycurgus was alive, so his people had him drawn and quartered; with Lycurgus dead, Dionysus lifted the curse. In Ancient Greece and/or Greek mythology, the name Lycurgus/Lykurgus can refer to: An alternate name for Lycomedes. ... Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak  Thrace (Bulgarian: , Greek: , Attic Greek: ThrāíkÄ“ or ThrēíkÄ“, Latin: , Turkish: ) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. ... This article is about the Greek sea nymph. ... This article is about prophetic oracles in various cultures. ... Drawing and quartering was part of the penalty anciently ordained in England for treason. ...

Prosymnus

A better-known story is that of his descent to Hades to rescue his mother Semele, whom he placed among the stars.^[20] He made the descent from a reputedly bottomless pool on the coast of the Argolid near the prehistoric site of Lerna. He was guided by Prosymnus or Polymnus, who requested, as his reward, to be Dionysus' lover. Prosymnus died before Dionysus could honor his pledge, so in order to satisfy the shade of his erastes the god fashioned a phallus from an olive branch and sat on it at Prosymnus' tomb.^[21] This tradition was widely known but treated as a secret not to be divulged to those not privy to the god's mysteries. It was the source of the custom of parading wooden phalloi at the god's festivities.^[22] This story is told in full only in Christian sources (whose aim was to discredit pagan mythology). It appears to have served as an explanation of the secret objects that were revealed in the Dionysian Mysteries.^[23] Argos (Greek: Άργος, Árgos) is a city in Greece in the Peloponnesus near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor, named for Nauplius. ... For the municipality, see Myloi (Argolida), Greece, the seat of the municipality of Lerna In classical Greece, Lerna was a region of springs and a former lake near the east coast of the Peloponnesus, south of Argos. ... Prosymnus or Polymnus, in Greek mythology, was a shepherd living near the reputedly bottomless Alcyonian Lake, which lay in the Argolid, on the coast of the Gulf of Argos, near the prehistoric site of Lerna. ... In the pederastic tradition of Classical Athens, the eromenos (Greek ἐρόμενος, pl. ... This article is about the symbol of the erect penis. ... Maened The Dionysian Mysteries probably began as an ancient initiation society, or family of similar societies, centred on a primeval nature god (and his consort), apparently associated with horned animals, serpents and solitary predators (primarily big cats), later known to the Greeks in the eclectic figure of Dionysus. ...

Ampelos

Another pederastic myth of the god involves his eromenos, Ampelos, a beautiful satyr youth whom he loved dearly. According to Nonnus, Ampelos was killed by the river Pactolus, riding a bull maddened by the sting of Ate's gadfly, as foreseen by his lover. The Fates granted Ampelos a second life as a vine, from which Dionysus squeezed the first wine.^[24] Pederastic courtship scene Athenian black-figure amphora, 5th c. ... In the pederastic tradition of Classical Athens, the eromenos (Greek ἐρόμενος, pl. ... In Greek mythology, Ampelos (vine) was a satyr and good friend of Dionysus. ... A bald, bearded, horse-tailed satyr balances a winecup on his erect penis, a trick worthy of note, on an Attic red-figured psykter, ca. ... The Greek epic poet Nonnus (Greek Nonnos), a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in the Egyptian Thebaid, probably lived at the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 5th century AD. He produced the Dionysiaca, an epic tale of the god Dionysus, a paraphrase of the Gospel of John... Pactolus is a river, now in modern Turkey. ... Ate, a The Griswold Family Christmas, is the action performed by the hero, usually because of his hubris, or great pride, that leads to his death or downfall. ... For other meanings, see Fate, a disambiguation page. ...

Secondary myths

A third descent by Dionysus to Hades is invented by Aristophanes in his comedy The Frogs. Dionysus, as patron of the Athenian dramatic festival, the Dionysia, wants to bring back to life one of the great tragedians. After a competition Aeschylus is chosen in preference to Euripides. This article is about the 5-4th century BC dramatist. ... Greek Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Frogs Frogs (Βάτραχοι (Bátrachoi)) is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. ... This article is about the ancient Greek playwright. ... A statue of Euripides. ...

When Theseus abandoned Ariadne sleeping on Naxos, Dionysus found and married her. She bore him a son named Oenopion, but he committed suicide or was killed by Perseus. In some variants, he had her crown put into the heavens as the constellation Corona; in others, he descended into Hades to restore her to the gods on Olympus. Theseus (Greek ) was a legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with whom Aethra lay in one night (By some accounts, this was presented as a rape). ... Drinking scene with Dionysus and Ariadne on his lap. ... Perseus with the head of Medusa, by Antonio Canova, completed 1801 (Vatican Museums) Perseus, Perseos, or Perseas (Greek: Περσεύς, Περσέως, Περσέας), the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ...

Callirhoe was a Calydonian woman who scorned a priest of Dionysus who threatened to inflict all the women of Calydon with insanity (see Maenad). The priest was ordered to sacrifice Callirhoe but he killed himself instead. Callirhoe threw herself into a well which was later named after her. In Greek mythology, three women were named Callirhoe or Callirrhoe: A daughter of Oceanus and mother of Echidna, one of the Oceanids. ... Calydon (Greek Καλυδών) was an ancient Greek city in Aetolia, situated on the west bank of the river Evenus. ... Maenad carrying a hind, fragment of an Attic red-figure cup, ca. ...

Acis, a Sicilian youth, was sometimes said to be Bacchus' son. For other uses, see ACIS (disambiguation). ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

Consorts/Children

'Bold text==In art== The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... For the game of graces, see Game of graces. ... Aglaea is the name of five figures in Greek mythology // The youngest of the Charites, Aglaea or Aglaia (splendor, brilliant, shining one) was Hephaestus wife and Asclepius daughter in Greek mythology. ... In Greek mythology, Euphrosyne (IPA pronunciation: ) was one of the Charites, known in English also as the Three Graces. Her best remembered representation in English is in Miltons poem of the active, joyful life, LAllegro. She is also the Goddess of Joy. ... For other uses, see Thalia (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Hymenaeus (also Hymenaeus, Hymenaues, or Hymen; Ancient Greek: Ὑμέναιος) was a god of marriage ceremonies, inspiring feasts and songs (like wedding hymns, or epithalamia). ... Fresco of Priapus, House of the Vettii, Pompeii. ... Drinking scene with Dionysus and Ariadne on his lap. ... In Greek mythology, Oenopion (wine-faced), son of Dionysus and Ariadne, was a legendary king of Khios, said to have brought winemaking to the island. ... Thoas, son of Andraimon, was one of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War. ... For other uses of NYX, see NYX (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Phthonus was the personification of jealousy and envy. ... For other uses, see ACIS (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Althaea was the daughter of Thestius, wife of Oeneus and mother of Meleager, Melanippe (one of the Meleagrids), and Deianeira. ... Like many mortal women in Greek mythology, Deianira (also Deianeira) occupied a perilous threshold position between the daylit world of Olympian gods and heroes and the dark chthonic primordial world of primitive earth magic. ... Circe, a painting by John William Waterhouse. ... In Greek mythology, Comus or Komus is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. ...

Classical

Naturally, the god appeared on many kraters and other wine vessels from classical Greece. His iconography became more complex in the Hellenistic period, between severe archaising or Neo Attic types such as the Dionysus Sardanapalus and types showing him as an indolent and androgynous young man (such as this one). A krater (Greek κρατηρ, from the Greek verb κεραννυμι, to mix. ... The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... Neo-Attic is a sculptural style of the 2nd c. ...

E. Kessler has theorized that a mosaic appearing on the triclinium floor of the House of Aion in Nea Paphpos, Cyrus details a monotheistic worship of Dionysus.^[25] In the mosaic, other gods appear but may only be lesser representations of the centrally-imposed Dionysus. The name Cyrus (or Kourosh in Persian) may refer to: [[Cyrus I of Anshan]], King of Persia around 650 BC [[Cyrus II of Persia | Cyrus the Great]], King of Persia 559 BC - 529 BC — See also Cyrus in the Judeo-Christian tradition Cyrus the Younger, brother to the Persian king...

===Post-classical===

Parallels with Christianity

Statue of Dionysus (Sardanapalus), in the Museo Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme in Rome, Italy

Some^[clarify] have argued that Dionysus displays similarities to Jesus.^[26] For example, he was worshipped on December 25th (Rustic Dionysia), the day of the winter solstice in ancient Greek times, and his major holiday was in March called City Dionysia.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File linksMetadata Dionysos_Sardanapalus. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Dionysos_Sardanapalus. ... The Dionysus Sardanapalus from the National Roman Museum. ... The National Museum of Rome (Museo Nazionale Romano in Italian) is a set of museums in Rome, Italy, split between various branches across the city. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Dionysia was a large religious festival in ancient Athens in honour of the god Dionysus, the central event of which was the performance of tragedies and comedies. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ...

Martin Hengel argued Dionysian religion and Christianity to be significantly parallel, stating that "Dionysus had been at home in Palestine for a long time", and Judaism was influenced by Dionysian traditions.^[27]

The modern scholar Barry Powell thinks that Christian notions of eating and drinking the "flesh" and "blood" of Jesus were influenced by the cult of Dionysus. In another parallel Powell adduces, Dionysus was distinct among Greek gods as a deity commonly felt within individual followers. Another example of possible influence on Christianity, Dionysus' followers, as well as another god, Pan, are said to have had the most influence on the modern view of Satan as animal-like and horned.^[28] Barry B. Powell is the Halls-Bascom Professor of Classics Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, visiting professor at the University of New Mexico, and author of the widely used textbook Classical Myth and other books. ... Marble sculpture of Pan copulating with a goat, recovered from Herculaneum Pan (Greek Παν, genitive Πανος) is the Greek god who watches over shepherds and their flocks. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Horn. ...

Wine was important to Dionysus, imagined as its creator; the creation of wine from water figures also in Jesus's Marriage at Cana. In the 19th century, Bultmann and others compared both themes and concluded that the Dionysian theophany was transferred to Jesus; Heinz Noetzel's Christus und Dionysos disagrees,^[29] arguing Dionysus never actually did turn water into wine. Martin Hengel replied that opposing traditions would be anachronistic, and that since all Palestinians were familiar with the transformation of water to wine as a miracle, it was expected from the Messiah to perform it. In the Christian New Testament, the Gospel of John refers a number of times to a town called Cana of Galilee. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Peter Wick argues that the use of wine symbolism in the Gospel of John, including the story of the Marriage at Cana at which Jesus turns water into wine, is intended to show Jesus as superior to Dionysus.^[30] For other uses, see Gospel of John (disambiguation). ... In the Christian New Testament, the Gospel of John refers a number of times to a town called Cana of Galilee. ...

Possible parallels have also been suggested between Pentheus' arrest and questioning of Dionysus in Euripides' Bacchae and the arrest and questioning of Jesus by Pontius Pilate. Some people have also argued that the attitude of Dionysus is similar to Jesus' attitude as presented in the Gospels.

Modern views

A relief of Dionysus Bacchus at the Corfu Museum.

Dionysus has remained an inspiration for artists, philosophers and writers into the modern era. In his book The Birth of Tragedy, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche contrasted Dionysus with the god Apollo as a symbol of the fundamental, unrestrained aesthetic principle of force, music, and intoxication versus the one of sight, reason, form, and beauty represented by the latter. The two remain intrinsically related and dependent upon one another in an endless state of conflict. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1184 KB) Summary I am the author. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1184 KB) Summary I am the author. ... This article is about the Greek island Kerkyra known in English as Corfu or Corcyra. ... The Modern-Era of NASCAR is a dividing line in NASCARs history. ... The Birth of Tragedy (Die Geburt der Tragödie aus dem Geiste der Musik, 1872) is a 19th Century work of philosophy by Friedrich Nietzsche. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) (IPA: ) was a nineteenth-century German philologist and philosopher. ... The Apollonian and Dionysian is a philosophical and literary concept, or dichotomy, based on certain features of ancient Greek mythology. ... Aesthetics (or esthetics) (from the Greek word αισθητική) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty. ...

The Russian poet and philosopher Vyacheslav Ivanov elaborated the theory of Dionysianism, which traces the roots of literary art in general and the art of tragedy in particular to ancient Dionysian mysteries. His views were expressed in the treatises The Hellenic Religion of the Suffering God (1904), and Dionysus and Early Dionysianism (1921). Sappho and Alcaeus of Mytilene, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1881). ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Portrait by Konstantin Somov (1906). ...

Inspired by James Frazer, some have labeled Dionysus a life-death-rebirth deity. The mythographer Karl Kerenyi devoted much energy to Dionysus over his long career; he summed up his thoughts in Dionysos: Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life (Bollingen, Princeton) 1976. Sir James George Frazer (January 1, 1854, Glasgow, Scotland – May 7, 1941), was a Scottish social anthropologist influential in the early stages of the modern studies of mythology and comparative religion. ... The category life-death-rebirth deity also known as a dying-and-rising god is a convenient means of classifying the many divinities in world mythology who are born, suffer death or an eclipse or other death-like experience, pass a phase in the underworld among the dead, and are... One of the founders of modern studies in Greek mythology, Karl (Carl, Károly) Kerényi (January 19, 1897 - April 14, 1973) was born in Hungary but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1943. ...

Dionysus is the main character of Aristophanes' play The Frogs, later updated to a modern version by Stephen Sondheim ("The time is the present; The place is ancient Greece"). In the play, Dionysus and his slave Xanthius venture to Hades to bring a famed writer back from the dead, with the hopes that the writer's presence in the world will fix all nature of earthly problems. In Aristophanes' play, Euripides competes against Aeschylus to be recovered from the underworld; In Sondheim's, George Bernard Shaw faces William Shakespeare. Greek Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Frogs Frogs (Βάτραχοι (Bátrachoi)) is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. ... Stephen Joshua Sondheim (b. ... A statue of Euripides. ... George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856–2 November 1950) was a world-renowned Irish author. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Both Eddie Campbell and Grant Morrison have utilised the character. Morrison claims that the myth of Dionysus provides the inspiration for his violent and explicit graphic novel Kill Your Boyfriend, whilst Campbell used the character in his Deadface series to explore both the conventions of super-hero comic books and artistic endeavour. Alec: The King Canute Crowd by Eddie Campbell Eddie Campbell (born August 10, 1955) is a Scottish-born comics artist and cartoonist who now lives in Australia. ... Grant Morrison (born January 31, 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer and artist. ... Philip Bonds cover to Kill Your Boyfriend Kill Your Boyfriend is the title of a one-off comic book written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Philip Bond and DIsraeli for DC Comics Vertigo imprint in 1995. ... Bacchus is a comics character created by Eddie Campbell and based upon the Roman god of wine and revelry, known to the Greeks as Dionysus. ... Super Hero is a ska band based out of Layton, Utah. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ...

Walt Disney has depicted the character on a number of occasions. The first such portrayal of Dionysus was in the "Pastoral" segment of Walt Disney's 3rd classic Fantasia. He is portrayed as an overweight drunk man who rides a drunken donkey; wears a tunic and cloak, and grape leaves on his head; and carries a goblet of wine. He is friends with the fauns and centaurs, and is shown celebrating a harvest festival. Other portrayals have appeared in both the Disney movie and spin-off TV series of Hercules. He was depicted as an overweight drunkard as opposed to his youthful descriptions in myths. He has bright pink skin and rosy red cheeks hinting at his drunkenness. He always carries either a bottle or glass of wine in his hand, and like in the myths, wears a wreath of grape leaves upon his head. He is known by his roman name in the series 'Bacchus', and in one episode headlines his own festival known as the 'Bacchanal'. For the company founded by Disney, see The Walt Disney Company. ... For other uses, see Pastoral (disambiguation). ... Look up Fantasia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Fantasia may refer to one of several things. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 For other uses, see Donkey (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In Roman mythology, fauns were place-spirits (genii) of untamed woodland. ... See also centaur (planetoid), Centaur (rocket stage) Guido Reni, Abduction of Deianira, 1620-21 In Greek mythology, the centaurs (Greek: Κένταυροι) are a race part human and part horse, with a horses body and a human head and torso (illustration, right). ... Advertising poster for the film. ...

In music Dionysius (together with Demeter) was used as an archetype for the character Tori by contemporary artist Tori Amos in her 2007 album American Doll Posse, and the Canadian rock band Rush refer to a confrontation between Dionysus and Apollo in the Cygnus X-1 duology. This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22, 1963) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Singles from American Doll Posse Released: 2007 Released: 2007 American Doll Posse is the ninth studio album by singer-songwriter Tori Amos. ... Rush is a Canadian rock band originally formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario; presently comprised of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... Rushs Cygnus X-1 Duology consists of Book I: The Voyage and Book II: Hemispheres. ...

In literature, Dionysius has proven equally inspiring. Rick Riordan's series of books Percy Jackson & The Olympians presents Dionysus as an uncaring, childish and spoilt god who as a punishment has to work in Camp Half-Blood. In Fred Saberhagen's 2001 novel, God of the Golden Fleece, a young man in a post-apocalyptic world picks up an ancient piece of technology shaped in the likeness of the Dionysus. Here, Dionysus is depicted as a relatively weak god, albeit a subversive one whose powers are able to undermine the authority of tyrants. In James Curcio's 2007 novel, Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, the protagonist, an escaped mental patient and musician, comes to realize that he is the incarnation of the God Dionysus. Though interpreted in a modern way, the dreams and plot points that follow echo the Bacchae of Euripides, and several other archaic sources, such as the varying myths of Lilith. Rick Riordan is an American author from Texas famous for his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titans Curse). ... This article is about the series of books by Rick Riordan. ... Fred Thomas Saberhagen (May 18, 1930–June 29, 2007[1][2]) was a Chicago-born American science fiction and fantasy fiction author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction stories. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... In Greek mythology, Maenads [MEE-nads] were female worshippers of Dionysus, the Greek god of mystery, wine and intoxication. ... This article is about the demon Lilith. ...

Names originating in Dionysus

• Dion, Deon, Deion
• Denise (also spelled Denice, Daniesa, Denese, and Denisse)
• Denis or Dennis (including the derivative surnames Denison and Dennison)
• Denny
• Nis (as of the Nordic surname Nissen)
• Nils (Nicholas is another origin)
• Dénes (Hungarian)
• Bacchus (Roman)
• Dionisio, Dyonisio (Filipino), Dionigi (Italian)
• Διονύσιος, Διονύσης (Dionysios, Dionysis; Modern Greek)
• Deniska (diminutive of Russian Denis, itself a derivative of the Greek)

Political map of the Nordic countries and associated territories. ... A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... Greek ( IPA: or simply IPA: — Hellenic) has a documented history of 3,500 years, the longest of any single natural language in the Indo-European language family. ...

Notes

... A statue of Euripides. ... This article is about the Greek tragedian. ... Greek Wikisource has original text related to this article: Oedipus the King Oedipus the King (Greek , Oedipus Tyrannus, or Oedipus the Tyrant), also known as Oedipus Rex, is a Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles and first performed ca. ... The Dionysia was a large religious festival in ancient Athens in honour of the god Dionysus, the central event of which was the performance of tragedies and comedies. ... Pausanias is the name of several ancient people: Pausanias was a Spartan general of the 5th century BC. Pausanias of Sparta was King of Sparta from 409 BC-395 BC. Pausanias was the servant/lover who assassinated Philip II of Macedon in 336 BC Pausanias, Greek traveller and geographer of... The Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. ... Stephanus Byzantinus (Stephanus of Byzantium), the author of a geographical dictionary entitled Εθνικα (Ethnica), of which, apart from some fragments, we possess only the meagre epitome of one Hermolaus. ... Decimus Magnus Ausonius (c. ... Pausanias is the name of several ancient people: Pausanias was a Spartan general of the 5th century BC. Pausanias of Sparta was King of Sparta from 409 BC-395 BC. Pausanias was the servant/lover who assassinated Philip II of Macedon in 336 BC Pausanias, Greek traveller and geographer of... Sabazios is the nomadic horseman sky and father god of the Phrygians. ... Hyginus can refer to: Gaius Julius Hyginus (c. ... Arnobius of Sicca (died c. ... The Greek epic poet Nonnus (Greek Nonnos), a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in the Egyptian Thebaid, probably lived at the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 5th century AD. He produced the Dionysiaca, an epic tale of the god Dionysus, a paraphrase of the Gospel of John... Martin Hengel is a German scholar of Religious Studies, focusing on the Second-Temple Period or Hellenistic Period of Judaism, which (roughly) encompasses 200 BCE to 200 CE. This period of Judaism, characterized above all by diversity and identity-formation, includes early Christianity and the field known as Christian Origins. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Dalby, Andrew (2005), written at London, The Story of Bacchus, British Museum Press, ISBN 0714122556 (US ISBN 0-89236-742-3)
• Farnell, Lewis Richard, The Cults of the Greek States, 1896. Volume V, cf. Chapter IV, Cults of Dionysos; Chapter V, Dionysiac Ritual; Chapter VI, Cult-Monuments of Dionysos; Chapter VII, Ideal Dionysiac Types.
• Fox, William Sherwood, The Mythology of All Races, v.1, Greek and Roman, 1916, General editor, Louis Herbert Gray.
• Jameson, Michael. "The Asexuality of Dionysus." Masks of Dionysus. Ed. Thomas H. Carpenter and Christopher A. Faraone. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1993. ISBN 0-8014-8062-0. 44-64.
• Kerényi, Karl, Dionysos: Archetypal Image of Indestructible Life, (Princeton: Bollingen) 1976.
• Pickard-Cambridge, Arthur, The Theatre of Dionysus at Athens, 1946.
• Powell, Barry B., "Classical Myth," 5th edition, 2007. ISBN
• Ridgeway, William, Origin of Tragedy, 1910. Kessinger Publishing (June 2003). ISBN 0-7661-6221-4.
• Ridgeway, William, The Dramas and Dramatic Dances of non-European Races in special reference to the origin of Greek Tragedy, with an appendix on the origin of Greek Comedy, 1915.
• Riu, Xavier, Dionysism and Comedy, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers (1999). ISBN 0-8476-9442-9. [2]
• Smith, William, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, 1870, article on Dionysus, [3]
• Sutton, Dana F., Ancient Comedy, Twayne Publishers (August 1993). ISBN 0-8057-0957-6.

One of the founders of modern studies in Greek mythology, Karl (Carl, Károly) Kerényi (January 19, 1897 - April 14, 1973) was born in Timisoara, then in Hungary, to a family of some landed property. ... Sir William Smith (1813 - 1893), English lexicographer, was born at Enfield in 1813 of Nonconformist parents. ... The Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. ...

Bibliography

• Livy, History of Rome, Book 39:13, Description of banned Bacchanalia in Rome and Italy
• Albert Henrichs, Between City and Country: Cultic Dimensions of Dionysus in Athens and Attica, (April 1, 1990). Department of Classics, UCB. Cabinet of the Muses: Rosenmeyer Festschrift. Paper festschrift18.
• Seaford, Richard. Dionysos (Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World). Oxford: Routledge, 2006 (hardcover, ISBN 0-415-32487-4; paperback, ISBN 0-415-32488-2).
• Taylor-Perry, Rosemarie The God Who Comes: Dionysian Mysteries Revisited. New York: Algora Press, 2003 (hardcover, ISBN 0-87586-214-4; paperback, ISBN 0-87586-213-6).

A portrait of Titus Livius made long after his death. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Dionysus

• Theoi Project, Dionysos myths from original sources, cult, classical art
• Iconographic Themes in Art: Bacchus | Dionysos
• Temenos of Dionysos, Hellenic polytheist site
• Thiasos Lusios, pagan Dionysian organization
• Dionysos Links and Booklist (A huge list of links.)
• Mosaic of Dionysus at Ephesus Terrace Home-2
• Bacchus the Musical
• List of archaic and modern Dionysus references.

The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... The ancient Greeks proposed many different ideas about the primordial gods in their mythology. ... This article is about the race of Titans in Greek mythology. ... The ancient Greeks had a very small number of see gods. ... For other uses, see Chthon (disambiguation). ... The Twelve Olympians by Monsiau, circa late 18th century. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hera (disambiguation). ... Neptune reigns in the city of Bristol. ... In Greek mythology, virginal Hestia,(Roman name, Vesta) daughter of Cronus and Rhea, (ancient Greek ) is the goddess of the hearth, of the right ordering of domesticity and the family, who received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. ... This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This is the Greek name of the capital of the Hellenic Republic (Greece). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... This article is about the ancient Greek god; for other uses, see Ares (disambiguation). ... Hephaestus (pronounced or ; Greek HÄ“phaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. ... For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ...