A Bacchanalian fraternity is a

fraternal society A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...

of professional or amateur aficionados of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

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 primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. The term derives from

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

, the Roman equivalent of Dionysus, god of wine and intoxication. Some of the societies date to the early modern era. 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 or a college institution, whose membership typically consists ...

History

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

Etruria Etruria () was a region of Central Italy, located in an area that covered part of what are now most of Tuscany, northern Lazio, and northern and western Umbria. Etruscan Etruria The ancient people of Etruria are identified as Etruscan civiliza ...

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 the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies and, from 487 BC, comedies. It was the sec ...

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, the Liberalia (March 17) was the festival of Liber Pater and his consort Libera.T.P. Wiseman, ''Remus: a Roman myth'', Cambridge University Press, 1995, p.133. The Romans celebrated Liberalia with sacrifices, processio ...

festival.

References

{{wine-stub

History

See also

References