NETSCAPE NETCENTER spacer   Search  -  WebMail  -  My Netscape  -  Buddy Chat  -  Help  -  Download
Encyclopedia

Bacchanalia

Bacchanalia (băkunā'lēu) [key], in Roman religion, festival in honor of Bacchus, god of wine. Originally a religious ceremony, like the Liberalia, it gradually became an occasion for drunken, licentious excesses and was finally forbidden by law (186 B.C.).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on Bacchanalia from Fact Monster:

  • Bacchanalia - Bacchanalia Festivals in honour of Bacchus, distinguished for their licentiousness and debauchery. ...
  • carnival - carnival carnival, communal celebration, especially the religious celebration in Catholic countries ...
  • Encyclopedia: Ancient Religion - Encyclopeadia articles concerning Ancient Religion.
  • Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: B - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "B"

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Ancient Religion
© 2000–2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster