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Temple of Bacchus

Bacchanalia or Liberalia

Dionysiac festivals held in honor of the god Bacchus or Liber. Introduced into Rome (c. 200 BC) from the Greek culture of lower Italy

While the Bacchanalia was officially suppressed, another more simple and innocent festival of Bacchus, the Liberalia (from Liber, or Liber Pater, a name of Bacchus), continued to be celebrated at Rome every year on the 16th of March (Ovid. Fast. iii.713). A description of the ceremonies customary at this festival is given by Ovid (l.c.), with which may be compared Varro (Varr. De Ling. Lat. v.55, ed. Bipont.). Priests and aged priestesses, adorned with garlands of ivy, carried through the city wine, honey, cakes, and sweet-meats, together with an altar with a handle (ansata ara), in the middle of which there was a small fire-pan in which from time to time sacrifices were burnt.

Old women, acting as priestesses of Liber Pater, wear ivy wreaths and displaying cakes (libia) made of oil and honey. They would sacrifice these cakes to Liber Pater for the passersby.

In the countryside, a large phallus was carted around to encourage fertility and protect the crops from evil, after which a wreath was placed upon it by a virtuous matron.




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