La spirale de l'interprétation : les Bacchanales - article ; n°5 ; vol.37, pg 929-952

Pailler Jean-Marie

Description

Annales. Économies, Sociétés, Civilisations - Année 1982 - Volume 37 - Numéro 5 - Pages 929-952
Interpreting the Bacchanalia
The Bacchanalia affair (186 B.C.), cited from antiquity to modern times as an example of religious repression, is well known thanks to a long account by Livy corroborated by the epigraphic evidence of the senatus-consultum. The study of the legal aspects of the repression has revealed the significance of the episode in the Roman seizure of Italy. An analysis of the distortions in Livy's account leads to a systematic investigation into the mythical, ritual, and social elements concealed or revealed in the romance. To appreciate the politico-religious nature of the affair, one must note the persistence of anti-Roman protest in Italy during the Punic wars, assess the role of Etruria, southern Italy (Capua, Taranto), and Egypt, and determine to what extent the political and spiritual interpretations are contradictory or complementary.
Connections are suggested here between the Bacchic cult, the cult of Ceres-Demeter at the turn of the century, and the Orphic-Pythagorean current in Italy (the Numa's books episode, 181 B.C.). An underground sanctuary at Bolsena (in Etruria), destroyed during the repression, contains a throne decorated with Bacchic motifs. This site casts new light on an officially recognized Dionysiac cult with Orphic and Pythagorean overtones—a cult that presents surprising analogies with the Roman mundus.
24 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique

Informations

• Publié par: ANNALES_ECONOMIES_SOCIETES_CIVILISATIONS
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1982
• Nombre de lectures: 18
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Jean-Marie Pailler

La spirale de l'interprétation : les Bacchanales In: Annales. Économies, Sociétés, Civilisations. 37e année, N. 5-6, 1982. pp. 929-952.

Abstract Interpreting the Bacchanalia

The Bacchanalia affair (186 B.C.), cited from antiquity to modern times as an example of religious repression, is well known thanks to a long account by Livy corroborated by the epigraphic evidence of the senatus-consultum. The study of the legal aspects of the repression has revealed the significance of the episode in the Roman seizure of Italy. An analysis of the distortions in Livy's account leads to a systematic investigation into the mythical, ritual, and social elements concealed or revealed in the "romance". To appreciate the politico-religious nature of the affair, one must note the persistence of anti-Roman protest in Italy during the Punic wars, assess the role of Etruria, southern Italy (Capua, Taranto), and Egypt, and determine to what extent the "political" and "spiritual" interpretations are contradictory or complementary. Connections are suggested here between the Bacchic cult, the cult of Ceres-Demeter at the turn of the century, and the Orphic- Pythagorean current in Italy (the "Numa's books" episode, 181 B.C.). An underground sanctuary at Bolsena (in Etruria), destroyed during the repression, contains a throne decorated with Bacchic motifs. This site casts new light on an officially recognized Dionysiac cult with Orphic and Pythagorean overtones—a cult that presents surprising analogies with the Roman mundus.

Citer ce document / Cite this document : Pailler Jean-Marie. La spirale de l'interprétation : les Bacchanales. In: Annales. Économies, Sociétés, Civilisations. 37e année, N. 5-6, 1982. pp. 929-952. doi : 10.3406/ahess.1982.282912 http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/ahess_0395-2649_1982_num_37_5_282912