A Wisdom Archive on lenaia

Dithyrambs were sung by a chorus of up to 50 men or boys dancing in circular formation (there is no certain evidence that they may have originally been dressed as satyrs) and probably accompanied by the flute. They would normally relate some incident in the life of Dionysus. The leader of the chorus later became the solo protagonist, with lyrical interchanges taking place between him and the rest of the chorus. Competitions between groups singing dithyrambs were an important part of festivals such as the Dionysia and Lenaia. Each trib ...

Read more here: » Dithyramb: Encyclopedia II - Dithyramb - Form

In Greek mythology, Semele, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, was the mother of Dionysus (the god and his votaries were both identified as "Bacchus") by Zeus, in one of the two parallel origin-myths of Dionysus. The name Semele, like other elements of Dionysiac cult (thyrsus, dithyramb) are manifestly not Greek (Burkert 1985), apparently Thraco-Phrygian (Kerenyi 1976 p 107; Seltman 1956); the myth of Semele's ... Including:

• Semele - Reference

Read more here: » Semele: Encyclopedia - Semele

The Dionysia was a large religious festival in ancient Athens in honour of the god Dionysus, the central event of which was the performance of tragedies and comedies. It was the second-most important festival after the Panathenaia. The Dionysia was actually comprised of two related festivals, the Rural Dionysia and the City Dionysia, which took place in different parts of the year. They were also an essential part of the Dionysian Mysteries. Dionysia - Rural Dionysia. The Dionysia was original ... Including:

• Dionysia - Rural Dionysia
• Dionysia - City Dionysia
• Dionysia - Origins
• Dionysia - Pompe and Proagon
• Dionysia - Dramatic performances
• Dionysia - Significance
• Dionysia - Notable winners of the City Dionysia
• Dionysia - Tragedy
• Dionysia - Comedy
• Dionysia - Sources

Read more here: » Dionysia: Encyclopedia - Dionysia

Dionysus or Dionysos (Ancient Greek: Διώνυσος or Διόνυσος; also known as Bacchus in both Greek and Roman mythology and associated with the Italic Liber), the Thracian god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficent influences. He is viewed as the promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace — as well as the patron deity of both agriculture and the theater. Greeks borrowed Dionysus' figure and within the Olympian tradition he i ... Including:

• Dionysus - Worship
• Dionysus - Bacchanalia
• Dionysus - Appellations
• Dionysus - Birth
• Dionysus - Childhood
• Dionysus - Midas
• Dionysus - Other stories
• Dionysus - Consorts/Children
• Dionysus - Parallels with Christianity
• Dionysus - Modern interpretations
• Dionysus - Dionysus in Neopaganism
• Dionysus - names with the origin Dionysus
• Dionysus - Bibliography

Read more here: » Dionysus: Encyclopedia - Dionysus

Dionysia - Origins. The City Dionysia (Dionysia ta en Astei, also known as the Great Dionysia, Dionysia ta Megala) was the urban part of the festival, possibly established during the tyranny of Pisistratus in the 6th century BC. This festival was held about three months after the rural Dionysia, during the month of Elaphebolion (corresponding to the end of March and the beginning of April), probably to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of the new growing season. According to tradition the ...

Read more here: » Dionysia: Encyclopedia II - Dionysia - City Dionysia

• Menander - Works
• Menander - External link

Read more here: » Menander: Encyclopedia - Menander

The Dionysia was originally a rural festival in Attica (Dionysia ta kat' agrous), probably celebrating the cultivation of vines. It was probably a very ancient festival perhaps not originally associated with Dionysus. This "rural Dionysia" was held during the winter in the month of Poseideon (roughly corresponding to December). The central event was the pompe, the procession, in which phalloi were carried by phallophoroi. Also participating in the pompe were kanephoroi (young girls carrying baskets), ...

Read more here: » Dionysia: Encyclopedia II - Dionysia - Rural Dionysia

Dionysus was often seen as the god of everything uncivilized, of the innate wildness of humanity that the Athenians had tried to control. The Dionysia was probably a time to let out their inhibitions through highly emotional tragedies or irreverent comedies. During the pompe there was also an element of role-reversal - lower-class citizens could mock and jeer the upper classes, or women could insult their male relatives. This was known as aischrologia or tothasmos, a concep ...

Read more here: » Dionysia: Encyclopedia II - Dionysia - Significance