Dionysus
by CTCWeb Editors
Associated Rituals
An important part of the nature of a god or goddess may be discerned from the rituals performed for the favor of that god or goddess. Students should look at the rituals performed in favor of Dionysus. Students will also want to look at where the rituals are performed, who performs the rituals and whether the societies that include these rituals in their religious practices worship only Dionysus or Dionysus along with other gods and goddesses.
Below are some archaeological and textual examples of ritual sacrifices to Athena and rituals that are part of the festivals for Dionysus.
Textual
Historical Overview, 10.2 The Development of Athenian Tragedy - annual festival held in honor of the god Dionysus.
Demosthenes, Speech 21, 21.53 - Demosthenes advises the people that the oracle at Dodona said “to pay public sacrifices [to Dionysus] and mix a bowl of wine and set up dances.”
Euripides, Bacchae lines 64-72 - The chorus says that it will celebrate Dionysus or Bacchus with traditional hymns according to custom.
Euripides, Bacchae lines 105-119 - The chorus describes the proper dress, crowns and dances to do during a Bacchic revelry. Crowns of oak or pine should be worn along with the skin of spotted fawns and all should proceed to the top of a mountain.
Herodotus 2.48.1-3 - How the Egyptians sacrifice and celebrate the festival of Dionysus.
Herodotus 2.49.1-3 - Melampus taught the Greeks the methods of sacrificing to Dionysus and about the phallic procession.
Herodotus 4.79.3 - The Scythians reproach the Greeks for reveling and consider it unreasonable to worship a god that leads men to madness.
Pausanias 10.4.1 - The Thyiads go to Parnassus every other year and celebrate the orgies of Dionysus.
Pausanias 10.32.7 - The Thyiad women rave on Mount Parnassus in honor of Dionysus.
Pausanias 2.2.6 - Wooden images of Dionysus are covered with gold and are painted with red paint.
Pausanias 3.13.7 - Sacrifices are offered before they are offered by the daughters of Dionysus. The eleven daughters of Dionysus run in a foot race as is the custom that came to Sparta from Delphi.
Pausanias 3.20.3 - An image of Dionysus that only the women who perform the secret the sacrificial rites may see.
Pausanias 7.27.3 - At the Feast of Torches, night firebrands are brought into the sanctuary, and set up bowls of wine throughout the whole city.
Pausanias 8.23.2 - “In honor of Dionysus they celebrate every other year a festival called Sciereia, and at this festival, in obedience to a response from Delphi, women are flogged.”
Archaeological
Baltimore, Hopkins BMA 60.55.2 - Bacchic procession, drawing shows great details.
Munich 2344 - Bacchic procession, drawing shows great details.
Munich 2416 - Bacchic procession, drawing shows great details.
Munich 2645 - Bacchic procession, dancing, costumes.
