Dionysus is the Greek God of Wine and Intoxication. The Romans called him Bacchus. He is also a God of fertility, nature and farming. Dionysus rules over religious ecstasy and madness, the art of winemaking, rebirth, mental disorders, mass frenzy and out of body experiences. Dionysus is also the Lord of Animals and the Horned Hunter. He symbolizes freedom, impulsiveness and guiltless pleasure.

Dionysus is much like the God Pan as he is dual natured. He is a God that brings spiritual ecstasy and joy, yet also one who brings madness, total abandon and rage.

Dionysus was an extremely popular Deity in Ancient times. His followers were numerous and loyal. His most loyal followers were called Maenads. Dionysus filled his followers with a passion and strength that allowed them to excel where they normally would not. The Celebrations of Dionysus were legendary and were called “the Bacchanalia”. During these celebrations, followers of Dionysus used sex, alcohol and trance to reach spiritual ecstasy. Wine, Satyrs, wild dancing, the killing of animals and eating of their raw flesh, cymbals and sex were all common in the Rituals of Dionysus. The Bacchanalia was pure debauchery and at times grew so intense in its frenzy that people were killed. In 186 BCE, the Roman Senate made the Bacchanalia illegal.

Dionysus is one of Zeus’ illegitimate children. His mother was a mortal woman named Semele that Zeus seduced. Sadly, his mother was killed when he was but a babe in the womb. Hera tricked Semele into forcing Zeus to reveal himself to her. She was burned to ash when she beheld his true Godly radiance. Fortunately, the God Hermes was near by and was able to save the babe that was in Semele’s womb before it also died. He stitched the unborn babe into Zeus thigh to keep it safe until it was ready to be birthed.

Hera hated Dionysus and continually tried to kill him and make those around him go mad. When he was just a baby, she had Titans tear him apart and boil him in a cauldron. Thankfully, Zeus’ mother rebirthed him. As a child, many cared for Dionysus as he was constantly moved around to keep him safe from Hera. His last segregate parents where a group of Mountain Nymphs. It was during his time with them that he invented wine.

When Dionysus became a young adult, he ventured out into the world and quickly gained many followers. Unfortunately, he once again drew Hera’s eye. She cursed him and drove him mad. Dionysus left Greece and traveled the world, accompanied by his devoted followers. They went to Egypt and brought the skill of wine making with them. From there they traveled to India and eventually spread through the entire country. During his time of traveling, he was a leader of armies and committed much violence.

Once Dionysus returned to Europe, he was meant with aggression for several of the kings. They tried to kill him and his followers. However, Dionysus was not a God to be messed with. One king went mad, another was ripped apart by the Maenads, while another was killed by his own people when Dionysus gave them the ultimatum of their King or his grapes and wine The people killed the king, so not to lose their vineyards.

Dionysus traveled to Naxos, were he meant his wife. He married the lovely Ariadne. They had six children. From Naxos, he went to Argo where he forced the hero Perseus to build him a temple.

Now that Dionysus had firmly established his worship amongst the mortals, he was able to ascend Mount Olympus. Even Hera was unable to dispute his claim and could not protest. Hestia, the Goddess of Hearth gave up her seat for him.

Once Dionysus gained full God status, he braved the underworld and was one of the few Gods to bring a person back out. Despite never meeting her, Dionysus freed his mother from death and brought her to live on Mount Olympus.

Dionysus is a popular God with Pagans today, especially wine makers and those who follow the Hellenic Tradition. He is seen as a vegetation God and a God of both life and Death. Today, Dionysus is not just connected with wine but with beer, mead and herbal concoctions. Although authorities tried to ban the worship of Dionysus, it survived through the ages hidden underground. It evolved over time and followers today now sacrifice wine to him instead of an animal and no longer engage in much of the debauchery that was once seen at his Rites. Although, the Rites of Dionysus have changed and mellowed over the years, the love and loyalty of his followers has not decreased one bit.