The Dionysiaca

[kirispupis]

Recently, in my quest to read as much as I can about ancient myths and history, I picked up a copy of The Dionysiaca. This epic poem is rarely covered today and is very much an oddball. Covering most of the ancient myths concerning Dionysos, it's the longest epic Greek poem remaining at about 20,400 lines - compared to about 15,700 for the Iliad. It's also perhaps the latest Greek epic poem we have, with most academics believing it to have been published in the 5th century CE.

It was written by Nonnus, who may have been a priest, thus complicating it's history further since it's very much rooted in the Greek myths with no hint of Christianity, even though it's believed to have been written during a time when most people in Egypt (where Nonnus lived) where Christian.

If that isn't enough, the story bears more of a similarity to a Family Guy episode than any coherent story. It bounces quite liberally from place to place and Dionysos himself isn't born until Book 8 (of 48 books - which are interestingly the combined book count of the Iliad and the Odyssey). He then bounces around until - in the most forced plot development I can recall - Zeus orders him to conquer India so Dionysos may dine with the rest of the gods.

Dionysos then assembles a massive Greek army that would have annihilated either side from Troy, and the proceeds to mostly forget about them. Instead, Dionysos' main forces consist of a group of Pans, satyrs, and maenads (singing women) who sing and dance and obliterate masses of Indians. The battle is completely one sided, but the poem stretches for many books because Hera constantly causes issues out of her jealousy for proof of Zeus' infidelity.

Eventually, in Book 40, Dionsysos and the Indian general Deriades, face off, and Dionsysos easily wins. We then move to a travel guide for Beroe (Beirut) and Dionsysos' attempts at several women. This illustrates another aspect preventing the Dionysiaca from being a mainstream story, in that his strategy for conquering women who have sworn away all desire for husbands would be vehemently disapproved of by 86% of Americans today.

So, if you have a lot of spare time and set your expectations low, it's definitely an interesting read. One problem, though, is the translation is a group translation and several of the translators took very liberal tendencies that make it a frustrating read.

Thought I'd share some coins involving Dionysos. His main weapon, which he uses to great devastation in the poem, is the Thyrsos, which is basically a magic wand by my understanding. This is my best image of one.

Mastaura, Lydia
ca. 100 - 0 BCE
Ae 14.1mm, 2.6gms
Obv: Filleted thyrsus within wreath
Rev: MAS???PEITWN; Cornucopia
Ref: SNG Cop. 276, SNG von Aulock -

 

He was heavily associated with snakes, since snakes protected him as a baby among other reasons. Snakes were therefore used in many of his rites and perhaps his most famous devotee was Olympias, mother of Alexander the Great. These snakes were kept in a basket with grape leaves called a Cista Mystica. Here's an image of one.

Macedon, Koinon. Pseudo-autonomous
238-244 CE
Æ 26.44mm 10.61g
Obverse: ΑΛΕΣΑΝΔΡΟΥ, head of Alexander right
Reverse: KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NEΩ, snake emerging from Cista Mystica
SNG Copenhagen 1361
 

And here's Olympias playing with her snakes.

Macedon, Koinon of Macedon
Pseudo-autonomous issue, time of Gordian III, 238-244 CE
AE 27 mm, 14.13 g, 6 h
Beroea
ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ Head of Alexander the Great to right, wearing lion's skin headdress.
Rev. ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ ΔΙC ΝΕΩ Olympias, as Hygieia, seated left, feeding serpent from patera held in right hand, and resting left elbow on back of throne.
AMNG 721a. RPC VII.2, 239

 

Here's Dionysos himself with one of his panthers. His chariot was led by panthers and they sometimes joined him in battle.

Macedon, Koinon of Macedon
Pseudo-autonomous issue, time of Gordian III, 238-244 CE
Diassarion AE 26 mm, 9.11 g, 2 h
ΑΛEΞΑΝΔΡΟY Head of Alexander the Great to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with a griffin leaping right.
Rev. KOINON MAKEΔONΩN B NE Dionysos standing left, holding kantharos over panther in right hand and filleted thyrsos in left.
RPC VII.2 286

 

Here's another with Dionysos on the obverse and a thyrsos on the reverse.

Kanites, King of Scythia
ca 100 BCE
AE 19mm 5.35g
Head of Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy /
BAΣIΛEΩΣ KANITOY, thyrsos and grape bunch. ΠΛΡ monogram below.
Draganov 29.

 

This one depicts on the reverse Dionysos as an infant holding grape leaves.

Troas. Ophrynion
circa 350-300 BCE
Æ 12 mm, 1,73 g
Bearded head of Hector of Troy facing, turned slightly to the right, wearing triple crested helmet /
ΟΦΡΥ, the infant Dionysos kneeling right atop ivy branch, holding grape cluster in right hand.
SNG Copenhagen 456; SNG von Aulock 1559.

 

Dionysopolis was of course named for Dionysos.

Moesia, Dionysopolis
4th century BCE
AE 4.40g 17mm
Obv: Wreathed head of Dionysos right.
Rev: ΔIONYΣO. Bunch of grapes.
Draganov, Bronze 1; HGC 3.2, 1777

 

And here we have Dionysos on the obverse and Chiron on the reverse. Chiron fights for Dionysos in the Dionysiaca.

Kings of Bithynia. Prusias II
AE Unit 20.5mm 6.41g 12h
c. 180-150 BCE
Laffaille430 var. - Cop.- - Aulock6886 var. - RG.26 - BMC.- - HGCS. 7/629
avers : Buste imberbe, juvénile et drapé de Dionysos (Bacchus) à droite, couronné de feuilles de vigne.
revers : Le Centaure Chiron à droite, la tête de face, jouant de la lyre, sa tunique flottant derrière.

 

Please show your coins with Dionysos!

[AncientOne]

Thanks for info onThe Dionysiaca!  Sounds interesting and it's about one of the grooviest deities.

 

Lydia, Sardis. Pseudo-autonomous. Time of Trajan (98-117).

Obv: СΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ. Draped bust of Dionysus right, wearing ivy wreath.
Rev: СΤΡ ΛΟ ΙΟ ΛΙΒΩΝΙΑΝΟΥ. Filleted thyrsus; bee to right.
Ae. 2.3g 15.4mm
Libonianus, strategos.

 

Caria, Trapezopolis, Pseudo-autonomous Æ22. AD 130-276.

Obv: ΔHMOC TΡAΠEZOΠOΛITΩN, laureate and draped bust of Demos right.
Rev: ΔΙΑ Μ ΚΑΡ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΑΝΟΥ, Dionysos, naked, standing left, holding kantharos and thyrsos, panther at foot left.
Magistrate Marcus Ulpius Carminius Claudianus
BMC 1; Kurth Demos 838; Kurth Dionysos 270; RPC IV.2, 2739

 

Cilicia, Irenopolis. Valerian AE28

Obv: AYT K Π ΛI OYAΛEΡINOC CE EY, radiate, cuirassed bust right.
Rev: EIΡHNOΠOΛITΩN H CΓ (CΓ retrograde), Dionysos, holding kantharos and thyrsos, standing in a facing biga of panthers.
RPC X, — (unassigned; ID 60329)

 

Pisidia, Baris. Severus Alexander AE20.

Obv: AYT K M AY CE AΛEXANΔΡOC CE, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: BAΡHNΩN, Dionysos standing left, holding kantharos and thyrsos, panther at foot left.
RPC VI, 5855 (temporary)

[Deinomenid]

The history of Dionysos is fascinating! There's a superb shortish book  called Dionysos -Myth and Cult by by Walter Otto, one of the most learned scholars on the Greek gods, which is almost a New Testament to Dionysos. It's really odd, in that Otto was a leading academic, and he swore the book was not a "gospel" to the god,  but  boy  does  it read like it is.  He discusses him as a reality, as an entity that existed, revealing his godhead etc, and  given Dionsyos represents so  much that is mad, other, frenzied, utterly appalling to women despite being surrounded by them, that can be more a little  disconcerting! Nonnus's curious epic poem is discussed at some length of course.

33 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

Dionysos himself isn't born until Book 8

Don't tempt him. He is a twice-born god! 🙂 And a god of much worse than wine.

But you asked  for  coins....not too surprisingly there are not that many featuring him from the early major mints, at least in the western colonies. Naxos of Sicily  is possibly one of the  best known. This is  one of the very earliest coins of the area, and  unlike many coins of the time has a "worked" reverse.

 

SICILY. Naxos. Litra (Circa 530BC). Obv: Archaic head of Dionysos left, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: NAXION (retrograde). Grape bunch.
Weight: 0.71 g. Diameter: 11 mm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phil Anthos]

"Bacchus hath drowned more men than Neptune"  ~ Sir Thomas Fuller

I've never read this epic poem, but it's on my list. Here's a couple of coins from Maroneia in Thrace, the first from the 4th century BC featuring grapes, the other is 2nd century with the God of Ecstasy depicted twice...

Edited March 4 by Phil Anthos

[Phil Anthos]

4 minutes ago, Deinomenid said:

The history of Dionysos is fascinating! There's a superb shortish book  called Dionysos -Myth and Cult by by Walter Otto, one of the most learned scholars on the Greek gods, which is almost a New Testament to Dionysos. It's really odd, in that Otto was a leading academic, and he swore the book was not a "gospel" to the god,  but  boy  does  it read like it is.  He discusses him as a reality, as an entity that existed, revealing his godhead etc, and  given Dionsyos represents so  much that is mad, other, frenzied, utterly appalling to women despite being surrounded by them, that can be more a little  disconcerting! Nonnus's curious epic poem is discussed at some length of course.

Don't tempt him. He is a twice-born god! 🙂 And a god of much worse than wine.

But you asked  for  coins....not too surprisingly there are not that many featuring him from the early major mints, at least in the western colonies. Naxos of Sicily  is possibly one of the  best known. This is  one of the very earliest coins of the area, and  unlike many coins of the time has a "worked" reverse.

 

SICILY. Naxos. Litra (Circa 530BC). Obv: Archaic head of Dionysos left, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: NAXION (retrograde). Grape bunch.
Weight: 0.71 g. Diameter: 11 mm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Otto's book is my go to reference, although a bit dated. 

I find it somewhat telling that the cthonic aspects of Dionysus get much less attention than His association with sex, drink and dance. But completely understandable.  😉

~ Peter 

[seth77]

Tomis, c. 200 for Geta Caesar:

 

This is a great post @kirispupis, it instantly reminded me of this little coin with some pretty neat grapes and vine.

[ambr0zie]

I only have 1 coin with Dionysus himself (a Nagidos obol that was recently shown) but here is the Roman counterpart, Bacchus  - whose image was joined with Liber Pater in  Roman mythology. 

19 mm, 3,51 g. Q. Titius. AR denarius. Rome. 90 BC.
Head of young Bacchus right (or Liber), wearing ivy wreath / Pegasus prancing right, Q•TITI in frame below, linear border. Crawford 341/2; RBW 1275; RSC Titia 2.

17 mm, 3,36 g.
M. Volteius M. f. AR denarius. Rome. 75 BC.
Head of Bacchus (or Liber) right, wearing ivy wreath / Ceres driving biga of snakes right, holding torch in each hand; dolphin behind.
Crawford 385/3; Sydenham 776; Volteia 3.

15,5 mm, 2,91 g.
Septimius Severus 193-211 AD. AR denarius. Rome. 197 AD.
[L SEPT SEV PERT] AVG IMP VIIII, laureate head r. / LIBERO - PATRI, Liber (or Bacchus) standing front, head l., r. hand on head, holding thyrsus in l. hand at feet l., leopard (or panther).
RIC 99; RSC 304; BMCRE 222 (Wars of the Succession).

[Ryro]

Great write up on a new must read for my list! Thanks so much for sharing. Hopefully I can find a better translation.

As for the man (God) of the hour:

SYRIA, Seleukis and Pieria. Apameia. Dated year Delta 0T left (year 304). = 49-48 BC. Litra. Head of Dionysos right, wearing ivy wreath, “ME” monogram in left field. / Thyrsos; date to inner left. RPC I 4347. 21 mm, 7,96 g good very fine. scarce

GENS CASSIA. Denarius. (Ar. 19mm, 3.6 g). 78 BC Rome. Anv: Head of Libero Bacchus on the right crowned with lyres, behind Tyrso. Rev: Liberea's diadem head on left, behind legend: L CASSI Q F. F.

Here he and half brother are throwing down. This coin is often mistakenly identified as two wrestlers, despite both of their favorite weapons beings displayed next to them:

Elagabalus. 218-222 AD. AE (20mm, 7.1 g). Laodicea ad Mare. Obv: IMP C M [AVR ANTO]NINOV Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed right. Rx: LADI - CEON around, in exergue ΔE, Herakles and Dionysus, both nude, grappling with one another like wrestlers; Herakles, on left, has a muscular body and is bearded, and his club is shown behind him in left field; Dionysus, on right, has long hair gathered in a knot and falling down behind his neck, and his thyrsus with knobbed ends is shown diagonally behind his left calf.

And lastly, a coin I got not for baby Dionysos but for the portrait of the doomed hero is Troy, Hektor:

Troas, Ophrynion

Æ13. Circa 350-300 BC. Bearded, three-quarter facing head of Hektor, turned slightly right, wearing triple crested helmet / OΦΡΥ, the infant Dionysos kneeling right, holding grape cluster in right hand. SNG Copenhagen 456ff; BMC 4-7; SNG von Aulock 1559; Laffa

Edited March 5 by Ryro

[NewStyleKing]

A couple of Athens NewStyle references to Dionysos. The Vine leaf and grapes issue Thoneman called it " frankly a mess" , referring to the inscription, but for prosopographical information, obviously a winner!  The Thyrsos is clear on this 2nd example first noted via the Gaziantep Hoard, but this symbol was a biggy in the Elysian mysteries which Dionysos seems to play a part in too...why?.......

God as Cult Initiate: Dionysos and the Eleusinian Mysteries in Greek Vase-Painting

 

https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A561685528&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10435158&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon~87881ca7&aty=open-web-entry#:~:text=Dionysos might even have been,secret part of the ritual.

Athens New Style Tetradrachm 144/3 BC

Obs : Athena Parthenos right in tri-form helmet 16.75gm 34mm Thompson issue 21 Thompson catalogue : Obs : GAZIANTEP 185 : Rev NEW Rev : ΑΘΕ ethnic Owl standing on overturned panathenaic amphora on which month mark Ε control ΤΙ below 2 complex magistrates monograms RF symbol : Filleted Thyrsos All within a surrounding olive wreath Athens New Style Tetradrachm 115/4 BC Obs: Athena Parthenos right in tri-form helmet 16.56g 29mm Thompson issue 50 Thompson catalogue : Obs 639 : Rev ? (altered) Rev : ΑΘΕ ethnic Owl standing on overturned panathenaic amphora on which month mark Γ/Β/Α control ΣΦ below 3 magistrates : METRODOROS DEMOSTHE(N) KALLIPH / PYRROS RF symbol : Bunch of Grapes on vine leaf All within a surrounding olive wreath  At "

Edited March 5 by NewStyleKing