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Dionysus, or Bacchus, is a god often overlooked by most people. He is visualized as a fat drunkard that brings trouble with him where ever he goes, but once you look into his story, that's not necessarily the case.

Not everyone is familiar with the story of Dionysus' origins. He was the son of Zeus and princess Semele whom Zeus was having an affair with. Semele became pregnant with Zeus' child and when Hera found out, she was furious. Hera tricked Semele into asking Zeus to show her his true form because the goddess knew that mortal Semele would die from beholding Zeus' majesty. Surely enough, she died. But before Zeus left, he rescued his unborn son and sewed him into his thigh for safe keeping. When baby Dionysus was strong enough, Zeus took him back out of his thigh and gave him to Hermes to take to the Maenads. Dionysus was raised by the Maenads until he was old enough to venture out on his own and explore the world.

As a young adult, Dionysus faced many trials. Since his mother was a mortal, most people refused to believe that he was a god. He had a small cult of female followers who were called Bacchants, Bacchae, or Maenads. These followers were the ones that stirred up trouble for the young god where ever he went, though they did it unintentionally. Their unorthodox behavior offended others. They also threatened, harmed, or even killed those who opposed their god. The Bacchants were considered scandalous. Dionysus himself, on the other hand, tried to please the people. He initially offered the mortals wine in an attempt to earn their faith and love. He was very friendly and offered any who believed in him a blissful afterlife.

Another common misconception about the Greek god of wine is his appearance. He is usually thought of as a fat rosy cheeked drunkard, but in reality, that is a much more recent interpretation of how he looked. The Greeks always depicted him as a healthy young man with a beard. The Romans tended to see him as a clean shaven teenager. The chubby appearance that is more common today emerged in fifteenth or sixteenth century.

Some lesser known facts about Dionysus are that some people believe that his story helped influence the story of Jesus Christ.
Also, the festivals and celebrations of his followers may have helped in creating what is now modern theater. And finally, the word "bacchic" which means "wild" or "crazy" comes from Dionysus' roman name, Bacchus.

I think that I have learned a lot about Dionysus through this research project and I'm glad I got to do it.

Learn more about this author, Emily Washington.
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