DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13855#0145
DIOSCTJRIA.
137
DIY1NATIO.
frightful licentiousness and excesses of every
kind. The evil at length became so alarming,
that, in b. c. 186, the consuls, by the com-
mand of the senate, instituted an investiga-
tion into the nature and object of these new-
rites. The result was that numerous persons
were arrested, and some put to death ; and
that a decree of the senate was issued, com-
manding that no Bacchanalia should be held
either in Rome or Italy; that if any one
should think such ceremonies necessary, or if
he could not neglect them without scruples
or making atonements, he should apply to
the praetor urban us, who might then consult
the senate. If the permission should be
granted to him in an assembly of the senate,
consisting of not less than one hundred mem-
bers, he might solemnise the Bacchic sacra ;
but no more than five persons were to be
present at the celebration ; there should he
no common fund, and no master of the sacra
or priest. A brazen table containing this
important document was discovered near
Bari, in southern Italy, in the year 1640,
and is at present in the imperial Museum of
Vienna. While the Bacchanalia were thus
suppressed, another more simple and innocent
festival of Bacchus, the IAberalia (from Liber,
or Liber Pater, a name of Bacchus), continued
to be celebrated at Rome every year on the
16th of March. Priests and aged priestesses,
adorned with garlands of ivy, carried through
the city wine, honey, cakes, and sweetmeats,
together with an altar with a handle [ansata
ara), in the middle of which there was a
small fire-pan (foculus), in which from time
to time sacrifices were burnt. On this day
Roman youths who had attained their six-
teenth year received the toga virilis.
DIOSCURIA (SioaKovpia), festivals cele-
brated in various parts of Greece in honour
of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux). Their
worship was very generally adopted in Greece,
especially in the Doric and Achaean states;
but little is known of the manner in which
their festivals were celebrated. At Athens
the festival was called Anaceia.
DIOTA, a vessel having two ears (uto) or
handles, used for holding wine. It appears
to have been much the same as the amphora.
[Amphora.]
DIPHTHERA (Si^epa), a kind of cloak
made of the skins of animals, and worn by
herdsmen and country people. It had a
covering for the head (e-iKpdvov), in which
respect it would correspond to the Roman
cucuUus.
DIPLOMA, a writ or public document,
which conferred upon a person any right
» privilege. During the republic, it was
granted by the consuls and senate and under
the empire, by the emperor and the magis-
trates whom he authorised to do so. It con-
sisted of two leaves, whence it derived its
name.
DIPTYCHA (SiVtux"0, two writing tablets,
which could be folded together. They were
commonly made of wood and covered over
with wax.
DIRIBITORES. [Comitia.]
DISCUS (6Yo-k<h), a circular plate of stone,
or metal, made for throwing to a distance as
an exercise of strength and dexterity. It
was one of the principal gymnastic exercises
of the ancients, being included in the Pen-
tathlum.
Discobolus. (Osterley, Dcnk. tier alt Kunst, vol. i. No. 139
DISPENSATOR. [Calculator.]
DITHYRAMBUS. [Chorus.]
DIYERSORIUM. [Caupoxa.]
DIYIXATIO (tiavTiK-q), a power in man
which foresees future things by means of those
signs which the gods throw in his way.
Among the Greeks the manicis (navreis), or
seers, who announced the future, were sup-
posed to be under the direct influence of the
gods, chiefly that of Apollo. In many fami-
lies of seers the inspired knowledge of the
future was considered to be hereditary, and
to be transmitted from father to son. To
these families belonged the Iamids, who from
Olympia spread over a considerable part of
Greece ; the Branchidae, near Miletus; the
Euniolpids, at Athens and Eleusis; the Tel-
137
DIY1NATIO.
frightful licentiousness and excesses of every
kind. The evil at length became so alarming,
that, in b. c. 186, the consuls, by the com-
mand of the senate, instituted an investiga-
tion into the nature and object of these new-
rites. The result was that numerous persons
were arrested, and some put to death ; and
that a decree of the senate was issued, com-
manding that no Bacchanalia should be held
either in Rome or Italy; that if any one
should think such ceremonies necessary, or if
he could not neglect them without scruples
or making atonements, he should apply to
the praetor urban us, who might then consult
the senate. If the permission should be
granted to him in an assembly of the senate,
consisting of not less than one hundred mem-
bers, he might solemnise the Bacchic sacra ;
but no more than five persons were to be
present at the celebration ; there should he
no common fund, and no master of the sacra
or priest. A brazen table containing this
important document was discovered near
Bari, in southern Italy, in the year 1640,
and is at present in the imperial Museum of
Vienna. While the Bacchanalia were thus
suppressed, another more simple and innocent
festival of Bacchus, the IAberalia (from Liber,
or Liber Pater, a name of Bacchus), continued
to be celebrated at Rome every year on the
16th of March. Priests and aged priestesses,
adorned with garlands of ivy, carried through
the city wine, honey, cakes, and sweetmeats,
together with an altar with a handle [ansata
ara), in the middle of which there was a
small fire-pan (foculus), in which from time
to time sacrifices were burnt. On this day
Roman youths who had attained their six-
teenth year received the toga virilis.
DIOSCURIA (SioaKovpia), festivals cele-
brated in various parts of Greece in honour
of the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux). Their
worship was very generally adopted in Greece,
especially in the Doric and Achaean states;
but little is known of the manner in which
their festivals were celebrated. At Athens
the festival was called Anaceia.
DIOTA, a vessel having two ears (uto) or
handles, used for holding wine. It appears
to have been much the same as the amphora.
[Amphora.]
DIPHTHERA (Si^epa), a kind of cloak
made of the skins of animals, and worn by
herdsmen and country people. It had a
covering for the head (e-iKpdvov), in which
respect it would correspond to the Roman
cucuUus.
DIPLOMA, a writ or public document,
which conferred upon a person any right
» privilege. During the republic, it was
granted by the consuls and senate and under
the empire, by the emperor and the magis-
trates whom he authorised to do so. It con-
sisted of two leaves, whence it derived its
name.
DIPTYCHA (SiVtux"0, two writing tablets,
which could be folded together. They were
commonly made of wood and covered over
with wax.
DIRIBITORES. [Comitia.]
DISCUS (6Yo-k<h), a circular plate of stone,
or metal, made for throwing to a distance as
an exercise of strength and dexterity. It
was one of the principal gymnastic exercises
of the ancients, being included in the Pen-
tathlum.
Discobolus. (Osterley, Dcnk. tier alt Kunst, vol. i. No. 139
DISPENSATOR. [Calculator.]
DITHYRAMBUS. [Chorus.]
DIYERSORIUM. [Caupoxa.]
DIYIXATIO (tiavTiK-q), a power in man
which foresees future things by means of those
signs which the gods throw in his way.
Among the Greeks the manicis (navreis), or
seers, who announced the future, were sup-
posed to be under the direct influence of the
gods, chiefly that of Apollo. In many fami-
lies of seers the inspired knowledge of the
future was considered to be hereditary, and
to be transmitted from father to son. To
these families belonged the Iamids, who from
Olympia spread over a considerable part of
Greece ; the Branchidae, near Miletus; the
Euniolpids, at Athens and Eleusis; the Tel-