Dionysus – the Greek God of Wine

Dionysus is the Greek god of wine. He is known by the Romans (and sometimes by the Greeks ) as Bacchus.

The wine-god is often shown riding in a chariot and leading a procession of dancers (maenads) and wild animals. His followers include men-goats called satyrs ( see The Midas Touch.) In another story, he helps Princess Ariadne rise to the stars after the faithless hero, Theseus, dumps her on the island of Naxos (see The Minotaur) . There’s a famous picture of him and Ariadne by Titian in London’s National Gallery.

He is associated with animal spirits, and was often worshiped with wild woodland parties – as can be seen in Euripides play, The Bacchae.

Dionysus is filed under Who’s Who of the Greek Gods.