what is dionysus the god of

Dionysus is the Greek god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He is also known as Bacchus by the Romans. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele, and he was often depicted as a youthful, beautiful, and effeminate figure. He was also associated with rebirth and was charged with fertility, fruitfulness, and abandon. Dionysus was often called Eleutherios, meaning "the liberator," because his wine, music, and ecstatic dance freed his followers from self-consciousness and the restraints of society. He was also known for his ability to drive people to complete madness. Dionysus was originally the Greek god of fertility, and later, he came to be known chiefly as the god of wine and pleasure.