The worship of Bacchus and the Bacchic mysteries, the “Bacchanalia”, spread form southern Italy into Etruria and from there the cult found its way into Rome. At the beginning, the mystery’s rites and gatherings were carried on during the day, three time per year and only women were allowed to participate; men were strictly declined. Additionally, married women were assigned as priestesses. However, Pacula Annia, priestess from Campania, changed the mystery’s structure and method of celebration. First, she admitted men to the join Bacchanalia, allowing here sons into the mysteries and by her command the celebration time was moved from daylight to night-time. Moreover, instead of three days per year, she ordered that the Bacchanalia would take
…show more content…
One such scholar is Raffael Pettazzoni, in his Essays on the History of Religions maintains that the Roman government viewed the cult of Bacchanalia as a “hidden danger” that was threatening the public security, if not the political system as well. Therefore, the mystery cult was indicted not only for ‘conspiracy’, but also for ‘immortality’, which meant that it was instructing and spreading “corruption and manufacturing foulness and wickedness”. But, how could a religious cult pose such a threat toward the safety of Rome and Italy as a whole from a political point of view, especially when the leaders of the mystery cult, Atinii and Opicernius, were just two plebeians? Regarding that issue, Pettazzoni explains that it was probably a coalition concerning religion between the Senate, which represented the Roman people, and the religion of ‘individuals’, namely the adherents of Bacchanalia. To the Senate’s mind, the Bacchic cult represented chaos and insanity, characteristics that were eventually opposite to what the Roman government stood for . Hence, to Pettazzoni the Senate had additional reasons to supress this …show more content…
Apparently, the Bacchanalia affair was, as described by Livy and the witnesses he addresses, an foul and even life-threatening cult, not only for the people that took part in the rituals but also for those that managed to escape from the frenzied Bacchantes, like Hispala did. The matter necessitated immediate attention and the Senate interfered as it thought
One such scholar is Raffael Pettazzoni, in his Essays on the History of Religions maintains that the Roman government viewed the cult of Bacchanalia as a “hidden danger” that was threatening the public security, if not the political system as well. Therefore, the mystery cult was indicted not only for ‘conspiracy’, but also for ‘immortality’, which meant that it was instructing and spreading “corruption and manufacturing foulness and wickedness”. But, how could a religious cult pose such a threat toward the safety of Rome and Italy as a whole from a political point of view, especially when the leaders of the mystery cult, Atinii and Opicernius, were just two plebeians? Regarding that issue, Pettazzoni explains that it was probably a coalition concerning religion between the Senate, which represented the Roman people, and the religion of ‘individuals’, namely the adherents of Bacchanalia. To the Senate’s mind, the Bacchic cult represented chaos and insanity, characteristics that were eventually opposite to what the Roman government stood for . Hence, to Pettazzoni the Senate had additional reasons to supress this …show more content…
Apparently, the Bacchanalia affair was, as described by Livy and the witnesses he addresses, an foul and even life-threatening cult, not only for the people that took part in the rituals but also for those that managed to escape from the frenzied Bacchantes, like Hispala did. The matter necessitated immediate attention and the Senate interfered as it thought