Dionysus, god of wine and ritual frenzy, inspires theatre and ecstasy. Known as Bacchus, he frees followers from fear and fuels ecstatic worship.
Archaeologists have presented a curved ceiling vault at Pompeii, reconstructing fragments to mirror the original banquet-hall shape. The find, discussed at an international workshop, centers on frescoes depicting Dionysus and Ariadne. Earlier discoveries include a large private bathhouse and a permanent display of victim casts from the 79 AD eruption.