Dionysus, << `dy` uh NY suhs, >> was the god of wine in Greek mythology. After coming into contact with Greek culture, the Romans adopted Dionysus as their god of wine, but they called him Bacchus. In Greek mythology, Dionysus’s parents were Zeus, king of the gods, and Semele, the mortal daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. Dionysus married Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete.
The ancient Greeks associated Dionysus with violent and unpredictable behavior, especially actions caused by drinking too much wine. Most stories about Dionysus tell of his leading sessions of drunken merrymaking. Dionysus’ followers at these gatherings included nymphs (maidens), creatures called satyrs that were half man and half horse or goat, and women attendants called maenads (see Nymph; Satyr).
Not all the stories about Dionysus concern drunkenness or violent behavior. Many Greeks believed that Dionysus taught people farming techniques, especially those related to growing grapes and making wine. The Greeks also dedicated the great theater in Athens to Dionysus. Their concept of tragedy in drama grew from a ceremony that honored Dionysus. The word tragedy comes from the Greek word tragos, meaning goat. The goat was sacred to and symbolic of Dionysus.
