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Thecult of Dionysus was strongly associated withsatyrs,centaurs, andsileni, and its characteristic symbols were thebull, theserpent,tigers/leopards,ivy, and wine. TheDionysia andLenaia festivals inAthens were dedicated toDionysus, as well as thephallic processions. Initiates worshipped him in theDionysian Mysteries, which were comparable to and linked with theOrphic Mysteries, and may have influencedGnosticism. Orpheus was said to have invented the Mysteries of Dionysus.[1] It is possible that waterdivination was an important aspect of worship within the cult.[2]
Thecult of Dionysus traces back to at leastMycenaean Greece, since his name is found onMyceneanLinear B tablets as𐀇𐀺𐀝𐀰(di-wo-nu-so).[3][4][5] Dionysus is often shown riding aleopard, wearing a leopard skin, or in a chariot drawn bypanthers, and is also recognized by his iconicthyrsus. Besides thegrapevine and its clashing alter-ego, the poisonous ivy plant, both sacred to him, thefig was another one of his accredited symbols. Additionally, the pinecone that topped histhyrsus linked him toCybele, an Anatolian goddess.
Introduced into Rome (c. 200 BC) fromMagna Graecia or by way of Greek-influencedEtruria, the bacchanalia were held in secret and attended by women only, in the grove of Simila, near theAventine Hill, on 16 and 17 March. Subsequently, admission to the rites were extended to men, and celebrations took place five times per 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 theSenate—the so-calledSenatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered inCalabria (1640), now atVienna—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.
Dionysus is equated with both Bacchus andLiber (alsoLiber Pater). Liber ("the free one") was a god of fertility, wine, and growth, married toLibera. His festival was theLiberalia, celebrated on 17 March, but in some myths the festival was also held on 5 March.
Dionysus sometimes has theepithet Acratophorus', by which he was designated as the giver of unmixed wine, and worshipped atPhigaleia inArcadia.[6][7] InSicyon he was worshiped by the name Acroreites.[8] As Bacchus, he carried the Latinepithet Adoneus', "Ruler".[9] Aegobolus, "goat killer", was the name under which he was worshiped atPotniae inBoeotia.[10] AsAesymnetes ("ruler" or "lord") he was worshipped at Aroë andPatrae inAchaea. 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 andEros. Other forms of the god as that of fertility include the epithet inSamos andLesbosEnorches' ("with balls"[11] or perhaps "in the testicles" in reference to Zeus' sewing the infant Dionysus into his thigh, i.e., his testicles).[12] Evius is an epithet of his used prominently inEuripides' play,The Bacchae.Iacchus (Greek:Ἴακχος), possibly an epithet of Dionysus, is associated with theEleusinian Mysteries; inEleusis, he is known as a son ofZeus andDemeter. The nameIacchus may come fromiacchus, a hymn sung in honor of him.[13] With the epithet Liknites ("he of the winnowing fan"), he is a fertility god connected with themystery religions. A winnowing fan was similar to ashovel 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 thewine press.
In the Greekpantheon, Dionysus (along withZeus) absorbs the role ofSabazios, aPhrygian deity. In theRoman pantheon, Sabazius became an alternate name for Bacchus.[14]
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