As promised earlier, this is a thread about #Dionysos, one of my favourite gods. I recently saw claims that he was born of a virgin on 25 December. This is not true. While the date of his birth is uncertain, the ancient Greeks did usually celebrated the birthdays of their gods. 
So I'm sure the birthday of #Dionysos was celebrated too, possibly on different dates depending on the polis.
In the most common tradition, the mother of Dionysos is Semele. She definitely wasn't a virgin bc she was impregnated by Zeus during an affair that went on for months.
In the most common tradition, the mother of Dionysos is Semele. She definitely wasn't a virgin bc she was impregnated by Zeus during an affair that went on for months.
Persephone, Demeter, Dione & Selene are also potential mothers, none of which are virgins. It's possible the word is supposed to mean "young girl" instead of "virgin". But Dionysos was famously born a second (or third) time from the thigh of Zeus, who most definitely is neither.
Around the time of the winter solstice, the Rural Dionysia was celebrated in #ancientGreece, a smaller version of the City Dionysia in Athens with theatrical competitions, a phallus procession and singing and dancing contests in the towns of Attika, the region around Athens.
The various towns in Attika held their festivals on different days, so it was possible for spectators to visit more than one festival per season and for travelling companies of actors to perform in more than one town during the Rural Dionysia. Sadly, the exact dates are lost.
So we only know that the Rural Dionysia took place in the month of Poseidon, corresponding pretty well to December this year.
But the joyful, raunchy character of his festivals, so different from a modern church service, is not the only thing that makes Dionysos interesting.
But the joyful, raunchy character of his festivals, so different from a modern church service, is not the only thing that makes Dionysos interesting.
#Dionysos is a god who blurrs the lines. He is a god but was born a mortal demigod. He is male but dresses, behaves, and surrounds himself with female(s). He is joy and liberation and madness and destruction. He is most terrible yet infinitely sweet.
I love Dionysos 💜
I love Dionysos 💜
If you are interested, there is a 12 Day Dionysos Special on my Patreon starting today with #Dionysos fiction posted each day. You can join here:
patreon.com/aimeemaroux
patreon.com/aimeemaroux
