Mythology : Roman Gods - Bacchus

Bacchus

Romans knew him as Bacchus but he was better known as Dionysus in Greek mythology. He was god of wine, vegetation and fruitless. Majorly known as god of wine and ecstasy. His worship was introduced into Greece from Asia Minor, and he became one of the most important of the Greek gods, but his cult remained associated with that of many Asian deities.

He was son of Zeus and Semele; he was brought up by Maenads, or Bacchantes. Another myth about him is that he is son of Zeus and Persephone. Interesting fact about his birth is that when Semele was pregnant, Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus, discovered the affair and befriended her, appearing as old crone. Semele not knowing that she was Hera, confided in her that the child was of Zeus. Now since Hera’s work of planting doubt in her mind was successful, Semele went to Zeus and asked him to prove himself to be her lover, which was almost like a scandal. Zeus didn’t wanted to, but did finally, but there’s a twist, mortals couldn’t see Zeus without dying, so Semele has to die. And she that with flare, eating up the lightning ignited flame.

But Zeus rescued the child, Dionysus and sewed him into his thigh. And so Dionysus was, after a few months later, called “the twice born”.

When he grew up, he rescued his mother from Hades, and then she became goddess on Mount Olympus with a new name Thyone. This was no other than Persephone. It is as well a myth like being the original mother of Bacchus or Dionysus.

Bacchus is also considered as “man-womanish”. Later in Rome there was a secret society called Bacchanalia which was only attended by women, later men were also allowed.