Triumphal procession of Dionysus [2]

In Greek mythology and religion, the thiasos, was the ecstatic retinue of Dionysus, often pictured as inebriated revelers. Many of the myths of Dionysus are connected with his arrival in the form of a procession. On his many journeys, Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility, was accompanied by Maenads and Satyrs, his attribute the panther, and goats. Together, they indulged themselves in an ecstasy stimulated by wine and dance. In the art of classical antiquity, the wine-god’s outward appearance as a nude, soft and often drunken ruler became early established. This piece is originally part of a sarcophagus lid. Another part of this scene can be found here.