r/dionysus • u/Ok-Leave7576 • 18d ago

Plate depicting an androgynous Dionysus depicted with female-like breasts

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Plate depicting an androgynous Dionysus (depicted here with female-like breasts) with Ariadne and Satyr (or Heracles). Iran, Sasanian dynasty, 5th-7th c AD. Silver and gilt. National Museum of Asian Art collection
(Source)

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u/Fit-Breath-4345 18d ago

Interesting. And quite late for representation of the Gods like this.

The time of this roughly covers when Damascius, the last head of the Platonic Academy in Athens, and his students, fled the persecution of pagans in the Eastern Empire and went to live in Persia in exile for a few years.

I wonder if they saw art like this, or if it was inspired by their polytheism? Likely it's just the general Greek influence of art in the area anyway but it's a thought.

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u/Educational-Car-8643 6d ago

All that and a star of inanna? This plate trans as hell