Dionysus

Ancient Greek god of winemaking and wine

Dionysus (die-oh-NIS-ee-us, also spelt Dionysos, Dionysius) is the Greek god of frenzies, festivities, spiritual ecstasy, wine, and alcohol in general. Amongst the Orphists (who are a select group of followers of the Ancient Greek Religion) Dionysus is considered a saviour.

Dionysus
God of the vine, grape-harvest, wine-making, wine, fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, theatre
SymbolThyrsus, grapevine, bull, panthers and other big cats
Personal information
ConsortAriadne
ChildrenPriapus, Hymen, Thoas, Staphylus, Oenopion, Comus, Phthonus, the Graces, Deianira
ParentsZeus and Semele
Zeus and Persephone (Orphic)
Ammon and Amaltheia
SiblingsAeacus, Angelos, Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Eileithyia, Enyo, Eris, Ersa, Hebe, Helen of Troy, Hephaestus, Heracles, Hermes, Minos, Pandia, Persephone, Perseus, Rhadamanthus, the Graces, the Horae, the Litae, the Muses, the Moirai
Equivalents
Greek equivalentIacchus, Zagreus
Roman equivalentBacchus, Liber
Etruscan equivalentFufluns
Egyptian equivalentOsiris

Mythology change

There are two stories on how Dionysus was born. One says that he was the son of Zeus and Semele. The other says that he was the son of Zeus and Persephone, queen of the Underworld. Either way, in both stories Dionysus is sent to the Underworld by Zeus' jealous wife Hera. After that, he is saved and brought to life.Other sources say that he was half god half mortal and then later turned into a full god

Dionysus was the god of celebrations. He was also the god of wine. According to a myth, the Titans lured Dionysus with toys and wanted to eat him. When Zeus found out, it was too late and they had eaten everything except his heart. With that Zeus put the heart in the womb of Semele and he was born again.

Related pages change

References change

  1. Another variant, from the Spanish royal collection, is at the Museo del Prado, Madrid: illustration.

Other websites change

  Media related to Dionysos at Wikimedia Commons