Images of Dionysos and his followers grace the painted drinking vessels of ancient Athens in their thousands. Against the background of revelry for which these vessels were produced, this volume presents a comprehensive interpretation of the colourful world of the images. These range from mythical tales about the god of wine, to the lecherous activities of the half-human Satyrs and complex rituals of intoxication and ecstasy. The results shed light on the many-sided image of Dionysos in classical Athens, as well as on the forms of interaction between image and viewer.
