Bacchus

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Dionysus is the mighty deity who rules over the grape harvest, the art of winemaking, and the intoxicating power of wine in ancient Greek mythology. The Greeks revered wine as a sacred drink, and the cult of Dionysus was the epicenter of its unbridled consumption. Archaeologists believe that he may have been worshipped by Mycenean Greeks as far back as 1500-1100 BC; remnants of Dionysian-type rituals have also been discovered in ancient Minoan Crete. His origins are shrouded in mystery, and his cults took many diverse forms; some historians describe them as Thracian, while others claim they were rooted in Greek traditions. In certain sects, he is said to emerge from the east as a foreign deity, an Asiatic outsider-god who brings with him the essence of epiphany; in other groups, he hails from Ethiopia, a southern land. As a god of revelation, "the god that comes", his status as an arriving outsider may be integral to his cults. He is a prominent figure in Greek mythology and religion, growing increasingly influential over time, and is included in some lists of the twelve Olympians as their final member, born from a mortal mother. His festivals served as the catalyst for the evolution of Greek theatre.