The Oxford Classical Dictionary and Lexicon of Ancient Societies

• Bacchanalia — The original Latin and English form for 'bacanale'; secret religious festivals in Ancient Rome dedicated to the cult of Bacchus, celebrated with ecstatic dances, tumultuous music, and ritualistic wine consumption. In contemporary academic, literary, and historical spheres, the term is used to describe an unbridled orgiastic cultural manifestation or a recurrent theme in art history symbolizing the vital exuberance of human nature.