Rare Frieze in Pompeii Reveals Secret Rituals Dedicated to the God of Wine

A recent archaeological discovery in the ruins of Pompeii has shed light on a little-known aspect of ancient Roman life. A rare frieze, known as “megalography,” featuring life-sized figures, was found in an area where other excavations had already uncovered significant historical finds. The frieze was located in a large banquet hall with a view of a garden and dates back to the 1st century BCE, meaning it was nearly complete when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, burying Pompeii under layers of ash and pumice and killing thousands of people.

The latest discovery, found in Region IX in the city center, depicts a procession dedicated to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, in a series of paintings that adorn the walls and columns of the space. The images show priests and priestesses, known as bacchants or maenads, dancing in celebration, accompanied by flutists, hunters, and huntresses with slain animals over their shoulders.

In one of the details, a hunter is depicted swinging a sword with animal entrails hanging from it, while in another scene, a figure performs an acrobatic wine offering, pouring from a drinking horn. In the center of the frieze, next to Silenus, Dionysus’ companion, is a woman about to be initiated into the mysteries of Dionysus. This ritual, which involved the use of intoxicating substances to dissolve inhibitions, allowed initiates to become part of the “mystery cults,” whose rituals were kept secret and fascinated those outside the cult.

The so-called Bacchanalia, rituals dedicated to Dionysus, were banned by the Roman Senate in 186 BCE for moral reasons, except under special circumstances. However, these rituals continued to be practiced, especially in southern Italy, where the cult of Dionysus was deeply rooted.

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