Dionysus, known as Bacchus in Roman mythology, was the god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy. He was one of the twelve Olympian gods, the principal deities of ancient Greece. Dionysus was often depicted as a handsome young man, crowned with grape leaves and holding a thyrsus, a staff topped with a pine cone, symbolizing his power.
It was believed that Dionysus was born twice. The first birth occurred when Zeus, who was in love with Semele, the daughter of the king of Thebes, seduced her in the form of a mortal man. When Semele asked Zeus to reveal his true form, she was consumed by his lightning bolts. Zeus saved the unborn child from her womb and sewed him into his own thigh until he was ready to be reborn.
Dionysus was widely celebrated in ancient Greece, and his cult spread throughout the Mediterranean world. The Romans adopted his worship and named him Bacchus, with his festivals, known as the Bacchanalia, notorious for their wildness and debauchery. Today, Bacchus remains a popular figure in art, literature, and popular culture, often used to symbolize the pleasures of life.
Specifications:
Notes:
