Editing Dionysus (section)

==Identification with other gods==
===Osiris===
[[File:Triptych Panel with Painted Image of Serapis - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Painted wood panel depicting Serapis, who was considered the same god as Osiris, Hades, and Dionysus in [[Late Antiquity]]. Second century AD.]]
In the [[interpretatio graeca|Greek interpretation]] of the [[Ancient Egyptian deities|Egyptian pantheon]], Dionysus was often identified with [[Osiris]].<ref>Rutherford 2016, [https://books.google.com/books?id=oBqHCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67 p. 67].</ref> Stories of the dismembering of [[Osiris]] and his re-assembly and resurrection by [[Isis]] closely parallel those of the Orphic Dionysus and Demeter.<ref>Rutherford 2016, [https://books.google.com/books?id=oBqHCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA69 p. 69].</ref> According to Diodorus Siculus,<ref>Diod. [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4A*.html#6 4.6.3].</ref> as early as the fifth century BC, the two gods had been syncretized as a single deity known as [[Dionysus-Osiris]]. The most notable record of this belief is found in [[Herodotus]]' '[[Histories (Herodotus)|Histories]]'.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Herodotus |title=Histories |publisher=George Rawlinson Translation |at=Book 2 }}</ref> [[Plutarch]] was of the same opinion, recording  his belief that Osiris and Dionysus were identical and stating that anyone familiar with the secret rituals associated with the two gods would recognize obvious parallels between them, noting that the myths of their dismembering and their associated public symbols constituted sufficient additional evidence to prove that they were, in fact the same god worshiped by the two cultures under different names.<ref>Plutarch, ''Isis and Osiris''. Trans. Frank Cole Babbitt, 1936.</ref>

Other syncretic Greco-Egyptian deities arose out of this conflation, including with the gods [[Serapis]] and [[Hermanubis]]. Serapis was believed to be both Hades and Osiris, and the Roman Emperor Julian considered him the same as Dionysus as well. Dionysus-Osiris was particularly popular in Ptolemaic Egypt, as the Ptolemies claimed descent from Dionysus, and as Pharaohs they had claim to the lineage of Osiris.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kampakoglou |first1=Alexandros v |title=Danaus βουγενής: Greco-Egyptian Mythology and Ptolemaic Kingship |date=2016 |publisher=Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies |pages=119–122 }}</ref> This association was most notable during a deification ceremony where [[Mark Antony]] became Dionysus-Osiris, alongside [[Cleopatra]] as Isis-Aphrodite.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Kenneth |title=Octavian's Propaganda and Antony's De Sua Ebrietate |date=1929 |publisher=Classical Philology |pages=133–141|edition=24th}}</ref>

Egyptian myths about [[Priapus]] said that the Titans conspired against Osiris, killed him, divided his body into equal parts, and "slipped them secretly out of the house". All but Osiris' penis, which since none of them "was willing to take it with him", they threw into the river. Isis, Osiris' wife, hunted down and killed the Titans, reassembled Osiris' body parts "into the shape of a human figure", and gave them "to the priests with orders that they pay Osiris the honours of a god". But since she was unable to recover the penis she ordered the priests "to pay to it the honours of a god and to set it up in their temples in an erect position."<ref>Diod. [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/1A*.html#21 1.21.1–3]</ref>

===Hades===
[[File:Locri Pinax Of Persephone And Hades.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Pinax of Persephone and Hades on the throne, from the holy shrine of Persephone at Locri.]]
The fifth–fourth century BC philosopher [[Heraclitus]], unifying opposites, declared that [[Hades]] and Dionysus, the very essence of indestructible life ''([[Life|zoë]])'', are the same god.<ref>Heraclitus, encountering the festival of the ''Phallophoria'', in which [[Phallus|phalli]] were paraded about, remarked in a surviving fragment: "If they did not order the procession in honor of the god and address the phallus song to him, this would be the most shameless behavior. But Hades is the same as Dionysos, for whom they rave and act like [[bacchantes]]", Kerényi 1976, [https://books.google.com/books?id=cXL-QIIhn5gC&pg=PA239 pp. 239–240].</ref> Among other evidence, [[Karl Kerényi]] notes in his book<ref>Kerényi 1967.</ref> that the Homeric Hymn "To Demeter",<ref>''Summary of Karl Kerényi:'' "The Hymn tells us that Persephone was abducted in Nysion pedion, or the Nysian Plain, a plain that was named after the Dionysian mountain of Nysa. Nysa was regarded as the birthplace and first home of Dionysus. The divine marriage of Plouton and Persephone was celebrated on 'the meadow'. The dangerous region that Kore let herself be lured to in search of flowers was likely not originally connected to Plouton but to Dionysus, as Dionysus himself had the strange surname of 'the gaping one', though despite this the notion that the wine god in his quality as the Lord of the Underworld does not appear on the surface of the hymn. People would not be able to detect the hidden meaning it if it wasn’t for archaic vase portrayals." ''Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter'' [pp. 34, 35].

"The Hymn to Demeter later mentions that Queen Metaneira of Eleusis later offers the disguised Demeter a beaker of sweet wine, something that Demeter refuses on the grounds that it would be against themis, the very nature of order and justice, for her to drink red wine and she instead invents a new beverage called kykeon to drink instead. The fact that Demeter refuses to drink wine on the grounds that it would be against themis indicates that she is well aware of who Persephone's abductor is, that it is the Subterranean cover name of Dionysus. The critic of the mysteries, the severe philosopher Herakleitos once declared "Hades is the same as Dionysos." The subterranean wine god was the ravisher, so how could Demeter accept something that was his gift to mankind" [p. 40]</ref> votive marble images<ref>''Summary of Karl Kerényi:''

"The book later refers to Herakles initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries so that he may enter the Underworld. In the iconography after his initiation Herakles in shown wearing a fringed white garment with a Dionysian deerskin thrown over it. Kore is shown with her mother Demeter and a snake twined around the Mystery basket, foreshadowing the secret, as making friends with snakes was Dionysian [p. 58].
The god of the Anthesteria was Dionysus, who celebrated his marriage in Athens amid flowers, the opening of wine jars, and the rising up of the souls of the dead [p. 149].
There are two reliefs in a marble votive relief of the fourth century BC. One depicts Kore crowning her mother Demeter, the deities at the second altar are Persephone and her husband Dionysus as the recumbent god has the features of the bearded Dionysus rather than of Plouton. In his right hand, he raises not a cornucopia, the symbol of wealth, but a wine vessel and in his left, he bears the goblet for the wine. Over their heads an inscription reads "To the God and Goddess" [pp. 151, 152].
The fragments of a gilded jar cover of the Kerch type show Dionysus, Demeter, little Ploutos, Kore, and a curly-haired boy clad in a long garment, one of the first son's of the Eleusinian king who was the first to be initiated.
On another vase, Dionysus sits on his omphalos with his thryrsos in his left hand, sitting opposite Demeter, looking at each other severely. Kore is shown moving from Demeter towards Dionysus, as if trying to reconcile them [p. 162]. ''Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter''</ref> and epithets<ref>''Summary of Karl Kerényi:''

Kore and Thea are two different duplications of Persephone; Plouton and Theos are duplications of the subterranean Dionysus. The duplication of the mystery god as subterranean father and subterranean son, as Father Zagreus and the child Zagreus, husband and son of Persephone, has more to do with the mysteries of Dionysus than with the Eleusinian Mysteries. But a duplication of the chthonian, mystical Dionysus is provided even by his youthful aspect, which became distinguished and classical as the son of Semele from the son of Persephone. Semele, though not of Eleusinian origin, is also a double of Persephone [p. 155]. ''Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter''</ref> all link Hades to being Dionysus. He also notes that the grieving goddess Demeter refused to drink wine, as she states that it would be against ''themis''{{Technical inline|date=July 2023}} for her to drink wine, which is the gift of Dionysus, after Persephone's abduction because of this association; indicating that Hades may in fact have been a "cover name" for the underworld Dionysus.<ref>Kerényi 1967, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ds1Wg01wzeYC&pg=PA40 p. 40].</ref> He suggests that this dual identity may have been familiar to those who came into contact with the [[Eleusinian Mysteries|Mysteries]].<ref>Kerényi 1976, p.&nbsp;240.</ref> One of the epithets of Dionysus was "Chthonios", meaning "the subterranean".<ref>Kerényi 1976, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=cXL-QIIhn5gC&pg=PA83 83], [https://books.google.com/books?id=cXL-QIIhn5gC&pg=PA199 199].</ref>

[[File:Αναθηματικό ανάγλυφο με τον Διόνυσο και τον Πλούτωνα 9888.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Votive relief of Dionysus and [[Pluto (mythology)|Pluto]] with adorant. Fourth century BC. From [[Karystos]], Archaeological Museum of [[Chalcis]].]]

Evidence for a cult connection is quite extensive, particularly in southern Italy, especially when considering the heavy involvement of death symbolism included in Dionysian worship.<ref>{{Cite book|title=What is a God?: Studies in the Nature of Greek Divinity|last=Loyd |first=Alan B|publisher= The Classical Press of Wales |year=2009|isbn= 978-1905125357|quote=The identification of Hades and Dionysus does not seem to be a particular doctrine of Herakleitos, nor does it commit him to monotheism. The evidence for a cult connection between the two is quite extensive, particularly in Southern Italy, and the Dionysiac mysteries are associated with death rituals.}}</ref> Statues of Dionysus<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.my-favourite-planet.de/images/people/d-01/dionysus/athens_dj-28082013-2-0833c_dionysus-eleusis.jpg|format=JPG|title=Photographic image|website=My-favourite-planet.de|access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.my-favourite-planet.de/images/people/d-01/dionysus/athens_dj-28082013-2-0826d_dionysus-eleusis.jpg|format=JPG|title=Photographic image|website=My-favourite-planet.de|access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> found in the Ploutonion at Eleusis give further evidence as the statues found bear a striking resemblance to the statue of Eubouleus, also called ''Aides Kyanochaites'' (Hades of the flowing dark hair),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/NAMA_181_Eubouleus_2.JPG/477px-NAMA_181_Eubouleus_2.JPG|format=JPG|title=Photographic image|website=Upload.wikimedia.org}}</ref><ref name = kerenyi1723>''Summary of Karl Kerényi:'' These attempts at a reconstruction would remain very fragmentary were we not, in conclusion, to look attentively into the face of the god Eubouleus. The Lord of the Underworld bore this name in the youthful form represented in the statue, ascribed to Praxiteles, which is now in the National Museum at Athens and probably stood originally in the place where it was found, the Ploutonion. This youth is Plouton himself – radiant but disclosing a strange inner darkness – and at the same time his double and servant, comparable to Hermes or Pais besides Kabeiros or Theos [p. 172]. ... The plentiful hair or long curls suggest rather Hades kyanochaites, Hades of the dark hair [p. 173].</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ds1Wg01wzeYC&pg=PA172 p. 172].</ref> known as the youthful depiction of the Lord of the Underworld. The statue of Eubouleus is described as being radiant but disclosing a strange inner darkness.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter|last=Kerényi|first=Karl|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|year=1991|isbn=9780691019154}}</ref><ref name = kerenyi1723/> Ancient portrayals show Dionysus holding in his hand the kantharos, a wine-jar with large handles, and occupying the place where one would expect to see Hades. Archaic artist Xenocles portrayed on one side of a vase, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, each with his emblems of power; with Hades' head turned back to front and, on the other side, Dionysus striding forward to meet his bride Persephone, with the kantharos in his hand, against a background of grapes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/artifact?name=London+B+425&object=Vase|title=London B 425 (Vase)|website=Perseus.tufts.edu|access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref> Dionysus also shared several epithets with Hades such as ''Chthonios'', ''Eubouleus and Euclius''.

Both Hades and Dionysus were associated with a divine tripartite deity with [[Zeus]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=Rigoglioso>{{Cite book|title=Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity|last=Rigoglioso|first=Marguerite|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2010|isbn=978-0-230-11312-1}}</ref> Zeus, like Dionysus, was occasionally believed to have an underworld form, closely identified with Hades, to the point that they were occasionally thought of as the same god.<ref name=Rigoglioso/>

According to Marguerite Rigoglioso, Hades is Dionysus, and this dual god was believed by the Eleusinian tradition to have impregnated Persephone. This would bring the Eleusinian in harmony with the myth in which Zeus, not Hades, impregnated Persephone to bear the first Dionysus. Rigoglioso argues that taken together, these myths suggest a belief that is that, with Persephone, Zeus/Hades/Dionysus created (in terms quoted from Kerényi) "a second, a little Dionysus", who is also a "subterranean Zeus".<ref name=Rigoglioso/> The unification of Hades, Zeus, and Dionysus as a single tripartite god was used to represent the birth, death and resurrection of a deity and to unify the 'shining' realm of Zeus and the dark underworld realm of Hades.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=The God who Comes: Dionysian Mysteries Revisited|last=Taylor-Perry|first=Rosemarie|publisher=Barnes & Noble|year=2003|isbn=9780875862309|pages=4, 22, 91, 92, 94, 168}}</ref> According to Rosemarie Taylor-Perry,<ref name=":2"/><ref name=Rigoglioso/><blockquote>it is often mentioned that Zeus, Hades and Dionysus were all attributed to being the exact same god&nbsp;... Being a tripartite deity Hades is also Zeus, doubling as being the Sky God or Zeus, Hades abducts his 'daughter' and paramour Persephone. The taking of Kore by Hades is the act which allows the conception and birth of a second integrating force: Iacchos (Zagreus-Dionysus), also known as Liknites, the helpless infant form of that Deity who is the unifier of the dark underworld (chthonic) realm of Hades and the Olympian ("Shining") one of Zeus.</blockquote>

===Sabazios and Yahweh===
[[File:HandOfSabazius.JPG|thumb|Bronze hand used in the worship of Sabazios ([[British Museum]]).<ref name="britishmuseum">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=463786&partId=1&people=94919&peoA=94919-1-9&page=1|publisher=britishmuseum.org|title= British Museum Collection |access-date=6 March 2017}}</ref> Roman first–second century AD. Hands decorated with religious symbols were designed to stand in sanctuaries or, like this one, were attached to poles for processional use.<ref name="britishmuseum2">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=465292&partId=1&people=94919&peoA=94919-1-9&page=1|website=Britishmuseum.org|title= British Museum Collection |access-date=6 March 2017}}</ref>]]
The [[Phrygia]]n god [[Sabazios]] was alternately identified with Zeus or with Dionysus. The Byzantine Greek encyclopedia, ''[[Suda]]'' (c. tenth century), stated:<ref>Sudas, under "Sabazios", "saboi"; Sider, David. "Notes on Two Epigrams of Philodemus". ''The American Journal of Philology'', '''103'''.2 (Summer 1982:208–213) pp. 209ff.</ref> <blockquote>Sabazios&nbsp;... is the same as Dionysos. He acquired this form of address from the rite pertaining to him; for the barbarians call the bacchic cry "sabazein". Hence some of the Greeks too follow suit and call the cry "sabasmos"; thereby Dionysos [becomes] Sabazios. They also used to call "saboi" those places that had been dedicated to him and his [[Bacchantes]]&nbsp;... Demosthenes [in the speech] "On Behalf of Ktesiphon" [mentions them]. Some say that Saboi is the term for those who are dedicated to Sabazios, that is to Dionysos, just as those [dedicated] to Bakkhos [are] Bakkhoi. They say that Sabazios and Dionysos are the same. Thus some also say that the Greeks call the Bakkhoi Saboi.</blockquote>

[[Strabo]], in the first century, linked Sabazios with Zagreus among Phrygian ministers and attendants of the sacred rites of Rhea and Dionysos.<ref>Strabo, ''Geography'', 10.3.15.</ref> Strabo's Sicilian contemporary, [[Diodorus Siculus]], conflated Sabazios with the secret Dionysus, born of Zeus and Persephone,<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], 4.4.1.</ref> However, this connection is not supported by any surviving inscriptions, which are entirely to ''Zeus Sabazios''.<ref>E.N. Lane has taken pains to dismiss this widespread conflation: Lane, "Towards a definition of the iconography of Sabazios", ''Numen'' '''27''' (1980:9–33), and ''Corpus Cultis Jovis Sabazii:'', in ''Études Préliminaires aux Religions Orientales dans l'Empire Romain: Conclusions'' '''100'''.3 (Leiden, etc: Brill) 1989.</ref>

Several ancient sources record an apparently widespread belief in the classical world that the god worshiped by the [[Judaism|Jewish]] people, [[Yahweh]], was identifiable as Dionysus or [[Liber]] via his identification with Sabazios. Tacitus, Lydus, Cornelius Labeo, and Plutarch all either made this association, or discussed it as an extant belief (though some, like Tacitus, specifically brought it up in order to reject it). According to Plutarch, one of the reasons for the identification is that Jews were reported to hail their god with the words "Euoe" and "Sabi", a cry typically associated with the worship of Sabazius. According to scholar [[Sean M. McDonough]], it is possible that Plutarch's sources had confused the cry of "Iao Sabaoth" (typically used by Greek speakers in reference to Yahweh) with the Sabazian cry of "Euoe Saboe", originating the confusion and conflation of the two deities. The cry of "Sabi" could also have been conflated with the Jewish term "sabbath", adding to the evidence the ancients saw that Yahweh and Dionysus/Sabazius were the same deity. Further bolstering this connection would have been coins used by the [[Maccabees]] that included imagery linked to the worship of Dionysus such as grapes, vine leaves, and cups. However the belief that the Jewish god was identical with Dionysus/Sabazius was widespread enough that a coin dated to 55 BC depicting a kneeling king was labelled "Bacchus Judaeus" (''BACCHIVS IVDAEVS''), and in 139 BC praetor Cornelius Scipio Hispalus deported Jewish people for attempting to "infect the Roman customs with the cult of Jupiter Sabazius".<ref>McDonough 1999, pp. 88–90</ref>