Bacchanalia

Bacchanalia
The Bacchanal by Peter Paul Rubens
Observed by	Ancient Romans
Type	Pagan, Historical

Bacchus

Bacchus was the Roman characterization of the Greek Dionysus, a deity who represented the power of intoxication and ecstasy (literally "being outside the self"). He was known as the Liberator (Gk: Eleutherios / Lat: Liber), freeing individuals from their day-to-day lives through drunkenness, madness, or artistic expression. Paradoxically, he was also viewed as the promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace — as well as the patron deity of agriculture and the theatre. The divine mission of Dionysus was to bring an end to care and worry.

Bacchus/Dionysus was an important figure in the religious imagination of the Greeks and Romans, as he was thought to represent the union between the realms of the living and the dead (as per the two mythic stories of his death and rebirth). This chthonic role was especially pronounced in Roman religion, which spurred on the development of the Bacchanalia — a rebirth/renewal festival with a basis in the Greek Mystery Religions.

The Bacchanalia

As noted above, the bacchanalia were the ecstatic, mystical festivals central to the cult of Bacchus introduced into Rome from lower Italy by way of Etruria (ca. 200 B.C.E.). Here, Dionysos was merged with the local fertility god Liber, the personification of joyous personal freedom. The Roman Bacchic Cult typically emphasized the sexual aspects of the religion, and invented terrifying, chthonic ordeals for initiation into its Mysteries. These festivals, which included both cultic initiations and general revelry, occurred on March 16th and 17th in the grove of Simila near the Aventine Hill and were generally restricted to female participants.

Archaeological findings reveal that Dionysus or Bacchus, as he was called by the Romans, was known and popular in Italy as early as the 6th century. Evidence shows that Bacchic rites of initiation were a form of private, not public, worship and were often performed informally by small local or family organizations. The emphasis of the ceremonies was preparation for an afterlife of punishments and/or bliss. By the end of the 3rd or early 2nd century, the cult had taken on the fervor of a religious missionary movement. The initiated held secret meetings and had secret signs by which they recognized each other, and changes were made to the initiation ceremonies, or Bacchanalia. Wine-drinking and feasting were added to the religious component, which led to ecstatic fanaticism and the practice of scandalous behavior. At first, the rites were imparted to a few, but soon they were propagated widely in order to gain many adherents.

Though the cult was forcibly constrained by governmental fiat (as described below). It was revived in a slightly tamer form under Julius Caesar around 50 B.C.E., with his one time ally Mark Anthony becoming an enthusiastic devotee and lending the movement much popular support in the process. The Bacchanalian festivals, which were popular enough to be exported to most Romanised provinces, remained in existence, along with their carnivalesque street processions, until at least the time of Saint Augustine (ca. 400 C.E.).

The Banning of the Bacchanalia (186 B.C.E.)

Livy informs us that the rapid spread of the cult, which he claims indulged in all kinds of crimes and political conspiracies at its nocturnal meetings, led in 186 B.C.E. to a decree of the Senate—the so-called Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in Apulia in Southern Italy (1640), now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna—by which the Bacchanalia were prohibited throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree (Livy claims there were more executions than imprisonment), the Bacchanalia survived in Southern Italy long past the repression.

Bacchanalia (Auguste Léveque)

Modern scholars hold Livy's account in doubt and believe that the Senate acted against the Bacchants for one or more of three reasons. First, because women occupied leadership positions in the cult (contrary to traditional Roman family values). Second, because slaves and the poor were the cult's members and were planning to overthrow the Roman government. Or third, according to a theory proposed by Erich Gruen, as a display of the Senate's supreme power to the Italian allies as well as competitors within the Roman political system, such as individual victorious generals whose popularity made them a threat to the senate's collective authority.

Quotations to use

Their most direct "descendant" was, of course, the Roman Bacchanalia, a festival characterized by legendary levels of excess. As described by the Roman historian Livy:

When conducted under Roman auspices, the festival had earlier been confined to women, but in the grove of Stimula young men were being initiated into the cult, and there were allegations of both heterosexual and homosexual licence. Though previously restricted to three days a year, the ceremonies were now being conducted five times a month; moreover, the proceedings were being held in darkness. Allegations of dire misconduct were circulating, including charges of murder of unwilling initiates, forging of the wills of the dead, and perjury.

Cicero, De Legibus II.8 <does this help make the case?>

Let men approach the gods with purity---let men appear before them in the spirit of devotion---let men remove riches from their temples; whoever does otherwise shall suffer the vengeance of heaven---let no one have private gods---neither new gods nor strange gods, unless publicly acknowledged, are to be worshiped privately---let the temples which our fathers have constructed in the cities, be upheld---let the people maintain the groves in the country, and the abodes of the Lares---let men preserve the customs of their fathers and of their family---let the gods who have been accounted celestial be worshiped, and those likewise who have merited celestial honors by their illustrious actions, such as Hercules, Bacchus, Aesculapius, Castor, Pollux, and Quirinus. Let due honor be likewise paid to those virtues, by which man is exalted to heaven---as Intelligence, Valor, Piety, Fidelity; and let temples be consecrated to their honor---with regard to the vices, let no sacred sacrifices be paid to them.

Let men put aside all contentions of every kind on the sacred festivals, and let servants enjoy them, their toils being remitted, for therefore they were appointed at certain seasons.---Let the priests duly render the public thank-offerings to heaven, with herbs and fruits, on the sacrificial days. Also, on the appointed holidays, let them offer up the cream of milk, and the sucklings; and lest the priests should commit any mistakes in these sacrifices, or the season of these sacrifices, let them carefully observe the calendar, and the revolutions of the stars.---Let them provide those particular victims which are most appropriate and agreeable to each particular deity.---Let the different gods have different orders of priests.---Let them all have pontiffs in common; and let each separate god have his Flamen.

<more on Cicero here: [2]>

See also

• Maenad - female worshipers of Dionysus
• Dionysus - Greek version of Bacchus
• Thriambus - a hymn sung in processions in honor of Dionysus
• Dionysian Mysteries
• Roman Senate - political body responsible for suppressing the Bacchanalia
• Fear Before the March of Flames - for having a song titled "A Brief Tutorial In Bachanalia"
• Eros Day A Modern Bacchanalian-Style Holiday Celebrating Eros

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

• Sutton, Dana F. Ancient Comedy. Twayne Publishers, 1993. ISBN 0805709576
• Fox, William Sherwood, The Mythology of All Races, v.1, Greek and Roman, 1916, General editor, Louis Herbert Gray.
• Henrichs, Albert. "Greek Maenadism from Olympias to Messalina." Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 82 (1978), 121-160.
• Kraemer, Ross S. "Ecstasy and Possession: The Attraction of Women to the Cult of Dionysus." The Harvard Theological Review 72:1/2 (January - April, 1979). 55-80.
• Mikalson, Jon D. Ancient Greek Religion. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2005. ISBN 0631232222.
• Powell, Barry B. Classical Myth (Second Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. ISBN 0-13-716714-8.
• Riu, Xavier. Dionysism and Comedy. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0847694429. [3]
• Stewart, Zeph. "The God Nocturnus in Plautus' Amphitruo." The Journal of Roman Studies 50: Parts 1 and 2 (1960). 37-43.
• Takács, Sarolta A. "Politics and Religion in the Bacchanalian Affair of 186 B.C.E." Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 100 (2000). 301-310.
• Tripolitis, Antonia. Religions of the Hellenistic-Roman Age. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2002. ISBN 080284913X

External links

All links retrieved December 21, 2007

• Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus in Latin at The Latin Library. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
• Senatus Consultum de Bacchaniabus in English and Latin at forumromanum.org. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
• Description of the Bacchanalia and the Senate's ruling from Fordham. Retrieved December 19, 2007.

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