The Cult of Dionysus

Greek Theatre: Ritual and Religion

In this course, Professor Richard Seaford (University of Exeter) explores the importance of ritual and religion in Greek tragedy. Having begun with a discussion of the god Dionysus and his cult in Attica, as well as the supposed origins of tragedy, we then look more closely at the use of ritual and religion in three plays: Aeschylus’s Agamemnon, Sophocles’ Antigone, and Euripides’ Hippolytus.

The Cult of Dionysus

In this module, we think about the god Dionysus, and his cult and festival at Athens. In particular, we explore the links between Dionysus and tragedy, as well as the Dionysian Mysteries.