Bacchus
Bacchus, the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Dionysus, was the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine, fertility, ritual madness and religious ecstasy.
Symbols: Grapevine, ivy
Parents: Jupiter
Consort: Ariadne
Festivals: Bacchanalia
Greek equivalent: Dionysus
The mysterious cult of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and revelry, arrived in Rome c. 200 BC. It’s believed to have originated from either the Greek colonies of southern Italy or the Etruscan civilization, both heavily influenced by Greek culture. The cult found its home in the Aventine grove of Stimula, interestingly close to a temple dedicated to Liber Pater, the established Roman god of wine and fertility. The similarities between Bacchus and Liber were so striking that the two deities were often seen as one and the same.
Art
Getty Villa.
Getty Villa.
Centrale Montemartini.
Brussels Art & History Museum.
