A Bacchanalian fraternity is a fraternal society of professional or amateur aficionados of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

and perhaps other alcoholic beverages, typically promoting the wines of represented regions, such as wines from

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The term derives from

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...

, the Roman equivalent of Dionysus, god of wine and intoxication. Some of the societies date to the

early modern era The early modern period is a historical period that is defined either as part of or as immediately preceding the modern period, with divisions based primarily on the history of Europe and the broader concept of modernity. There is no exact date ...

. Other modern ones have various affiliations, such as in the form of

student societies A student society, student association, university society, student club, university club, or student organization is a society or an organization, operated by students at a university, college, or other educational institution, whose membership t ...

History

It is believed that Bacchanalian rituals first started in southern Italy and were introduced to

Etruria Etruria ( ) was a region of Central Italy delimited by the rivers Arno and Tiber, an area that covered what is now most of Tuscany, northern Lazio, and north-western Umbria. It was inhabited by the Etruscans, an ancient civilization that f ...

and Rome. They probably originated from the Greek

Dionysia The Dionysia (; Greek: Διονύσια) was a large festival in ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus, the central events of which were processions and sacrifices in honor of Dionysus, the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies an ...

festival. Historically, they were secret gatherings. Extreme orgies were a natural part of the entertainment. The members of Bacchanalian gatherings were called Bacchantes, and their sanctuary a Bacchanal. The initiation to join the group lasted 10 days, during which the applicant must refrain from sex. At its origins, the Bacchalanian societies were made up of women only.A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, John Murray, London, 1875.
''Uchicago.edu'' The Campanian matron

Paculla Annia Paculla Annia was a Campanian priestess of Bacchus. She is known only through the Roman historian Livy's account of the introduction, growth and spread of unofficial Bacchanalia festivals, which were ferociously suppressed in 186 BC under threat of ...

eventually changed the method of celebration, by admitting men and going from a 3-day annual gathering to a 5-day monthly gathering. Around 186 BC, the Roman Senate found out about those unofficial Bacchanalian rituals and launched a repressive campaign against it. An estimated 7,000 members were prosecuted amidst a violent repression. The women were returned to their families for private punishments, while the men were imprisoned or executed. The destruction of all Bacchanalia was ordered by the Roman authorities. The Senatus auctoritas de Bacchanalibus decree was passed to forbid any future similar order. Eventually, the Bacchanalian ordeal was replaced by the softer

Liberalia In ancient Roman religion Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the Roman people, people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule. The Romans t ...

festival.

References

{{Authority control Fraternity and sorority culture

History

See also

References