Marble statuette of Dionysos

Unknown

early 3rd century BCE · Marble · Greek and Roman Art

The god wears Thracian boots, a short chiton, a belted panther skin, and a goatskin worn like a cape, with the forelegs of the goat wrapped around his arms. He can perhaps be identified as Dionysos Melanaigis (of the Black Goatskin), whose cult was introduced into Attica from Boeotia. Pausanias (II.35.1), second century A.D. author of a guide to Greece, mentions a temple to Dionysos Melanaigis in Methana on the Saronic Gulf and states that a music competition was held there in the god's honor every year and that prizes were awarded for swimming races and boat races.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 3rd century BCE

Medium

Marble

Culture

Greek

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1959