Dionysos

Richard Seaford

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Covering a wide range of issues which have been overlooked in the past, including mystery, cult and philosophy, Richard Seaford explores Dionysos 鈥� one of the most studied figures of the ancient Greek gods. Popularly known as the god of wine and frenzied abandon, and an influential figure for theatre where drama originated as part of the cult of Dionysos, Seaford goes beyond the mundane and usual to explore the history and influence of this god as never before. As a volume in the popular Gods and Heroes series, this is an indispensible introduction to the subject, and an excellent reference point for higher-level study.

GenresMythologyHistoryNonfictionReligionGreeceAcademicClassics

177 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

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About the author

Richard Seaford

21听books7听followers

Richard Seaford was a British classicist. He was professor emeritus of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Exeter. His work focused on ancient Greek culture, especially that of ancient Athens. He died in December 2023.

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

Dominique

Author听16 books11 followers

May 29, 2016

This book wasn't so much about Dionysus as about his cult and the birth of theater, which closely associated with the god. There was very little in the book about the god, which was what I was looking for.

If you're looking for information on the god, I would suggest going elsewhere for it; for you this book would be both a waste of time and money.

dionysus greek-mythology mythology

76 reviews3 followers

July 3, 2023

Good followup read to The Birth of Tragedy. Historically grounded and (naturally) less out of date. Fascinating but brief look at the cult practices surrounding Dionysos and their potential links to drama, Greek philosophy, Roman religion, Christianity, money, and post-Renaissance European thought.

classics history

Eric

18 reviews1 follower

April 9, 2018

If you鈥檙e looking for a strictly mythological account of the Greek god Dionysus, this book is not the best suited for that task. Elements of the mythology are definitely there, but it鈥檚 more as a reference to how it related to historical culture (and present culture, to a degree). Using examples from theatre, artwork, and writing, it shows the importance and role of Dionysus and mystery-cult in society...beyond the superficial wine and ecstasy he鈥檚 generally attributed to. For me, this book did an excellent job of conveying the true essence of one of the lesser known, yet most enduring, Greek gods. Hail Dionysus.

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