Latest news with #Dionysus
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Worker's unusual lunch spot backfires, plus sarcophagus depicts rowdy drinking contest
GRAVEYARD SHIFT: An online poster sparked a debate after revealing eating lunch in a cemetery for peace and quiet. CULINARY TWIST: Researchers find that higher linoleic acid levels from seed oils correlate with improved heart health and lower inflammation. INDULGENT DISCOVERY: Archaeologists recently uncovered a Roman sarcophagus, which shows a drinking contest between Dionysus and Hercules. APPLE A DAY – MacBooks, AirPods, Apple Watches and iPads are all discounted early in the lead up to Amazon Prime Day. Continue reading… CALLING ALL CROSSWORD PUZZLE LOVERS! – Play our Fox News daily crossword puzzle for free here! And not just one — check out the multiple offerings. See the puzzles... Fox News FirstFox News Opinion
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Archaeologists unearth ancient sarcophagus showing Hercules getting drunk: ‘Unusual perspective'
Israeli archaeologists recently uncovered an ancient sarcophagus depicting a scene familiar to many today: a drinking game. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the discovery in a Facebook post on June 9. Advertisement The Roman sarcophagus, or coffin, was found at an archaeological site within the ancient capital city of Caesarea. The discovery is the first of its kind in Israel. The marble sarcophagus illustrates a drinking scene between Dionysus, the god of wine, and Hercules. Pictures from the site show archaeologists beaming next to the discovery, which the IAA described as 'spectacular.' Advertisement 'In the center we see Dionysus, the god of wine, and around him a lively retinue of a host of mythological characters such as Maenads (female followers of Dionysus), satyrs, Hermes, Pan, lions and tigers,' the IAA's statement read. Archaeologists were unsure of what the entire scene depicted until the sarcophagus was handed over to the IAA's conservation team — who assembled the fragments. 'Thanks to the restoration, the scenes have been fully revealed,' the IAA said. IAA archaeologists likened the discovery to 'a scene out of a movie.' Advertisement 9 The center of the sarcophagus depicts Dionysus, the god of wine, and around him a lively retinue of a host of mythological characters such as Maenads (female followers of Dionysus), satyrs, Hermes, Pan, lions and tigers. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 9 Archaeologists were unsure of what the entire scene depicted until the sarcophagus was handed over to the IAA's conservation team — who assembled the fragments. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 'We began removing the soft, light sand of the dune, when suddenly the tip of a marble object popped up,' archaeologists Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit were quoted as saying. 'The entire excavation team stood around excitedly, and as we cleared more sand, we couldn't believe what we were seeing – parts of a sarcophagus, upon which figures were carved: gods, animals, and trees.' Advertisement The pair added, 'Each uncovered fragment was more impressive than the one before … [including] an entire intact side of the sarcophagus, which was buried in the sand, was uncovered. So who won the drinking contest? 9 A worker carefully cleans the marble images. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 9 The dig site in Caesarea, Israel, where the sarcophagus was unearthed. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 9 Pictures from the site show archaeologists beaming next to the discovery, which the IAA described as 'spectacular.' Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook Israeli officials revealed the answer — which is fairly unsurprising. 'Hercules' condition, depicted on the sarcophagus as someone who is no longer able to stand, points to the obvious answer: Dionysus,' Shahar said. Shahar also noted that this was the first time that a Dionysus-Hercules drinking scene was found on a burial coffin in Israel. Advertisement 9 Hercules is depicted as being unable to stand, pointing to him losing the drinking game. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 9 A piece of the sarcophagus remains standing at the stie. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 'While processions of the wine god Dionysus are a familiar motif in 2nd and 3rd centuries CE sarcophagi, this particular drinking contest scene … is known to us here primarily in mosaics,' the historian said. 'In this case, it seems that the figures are not only celebrating – they are in fact accompanying the dead on his last journey, when drinking and dancing are transformed into a symbol of liberation and transition to life in the next world.' Advertisement She added, 'This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path.' IAA director Eli Escusido also said the sarcophagus reflects ancient Roman perceptions of life and faith. 9 This was the first time that a Dionysus-Hercules drinking scene was found on a burial coffin in Israel. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook 9 This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path. Israel Antiquities Authority/Facebook Advertisement It will be available for public viewing in the future. 'The sarcophagus is undergoing a meticulous conservation process, which upon completion will enable it to be presented to the general public as part of our commitment to making the country's past heritage accessible,' the official said.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Archaeologists unearth Ancient Roman sarcophagus depicting rowdy drinking contest: 'Unusual perspective'
Israeli archaeologists recently uncovered an ancient sarcophagus depicting a scene familiar to many today: a drinking game. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the discovery in a Facebook post on June 9. The Roman sarcophagus, or coffin, was found at an archaeological site within the ancient capital city of Caesarea. The discovery is the first of its kind in Israel. The marble sarcophagus illustrates a drinking scene between Dionysus, the god of wine, and Hercules. Pictures from the site show archaeologists beaming next to the discovery, which the IAA described as "spectacular." "In the center we see Dionysus, the god of wine, and around him a lively retinue of a host of mythological characters such as Maenads (female followers of Dionysus), satyrs, Hermes, Pan, lions and tigers," the IAA's statement read. Archaeologists were unsure of what the entire scene depicted until the sarcophagus was handed over to the IAA's conservation team — who assembled the fragments. "Thanks to the restoration, the scenes have been fully revealed," the IAA said. IAA archaeologists likened the discovery to "a scene out of a movie." "We began removing the soft, light sand of the dune, when suddenly the tip of a marble object popped up," archaeologists Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit were quoted as saying. "The entire excavation team stood around excitedly, and as we cleared more sand, we couldn't believe what we were seeing – parts of a sarcophagus, upon which figures were carved: gods, animals, and trees." "This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path." The pair added, "Each uncovered fragment was more impressive than the one before … [including] an entire intact side of the sarcophagus, which was buried in the sand, was uncovered." So who won the drinking contest? Israeli officials revealed the answer — which is fairly unsurprising. "Hercules' condition, depicted on the sarcophagus as someone who is no longer able to stand, points to the obvious answer: Dionysus," Shahar said. Shahar also noted that this was the first time that a Dionysus-Hercules drinking scene was found on a burial coffin in Israel. It's "part of our commitment to making the country's past heritage accessible." "While processions of the wine god Dionysus are a familiar motif in 2nd and 3rd centuries CE sarcophagi, this particular drinking contest scene … is known to us here primarily in mosaics," the historian said. "In this case, it seems that the figures are not only celebrating – they are in fact accompanying the dead on his last journey, when drinking and dancing are transformed into a symbol of liberation and transition to life in the next world." She added, "This sarcophagus offers an unusual perspective of the idea of death – not as an end, but as the beginning of a new path." IAA director Eli Escusido also said the sarcophagus reflects ancient Roman perceptions of life and faith. It will be available for public viewing in the future. "The sarcophagus is undergoing a meticulous conservation process, which upon completion will enable it to be presented to the general public as part of our commitment to making the country's past heritage accessible," the official said.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed
In a discovery hailed as the 'first of its kind,' archaeologists in Israel have found a Roman marble sarcophagus which depicts a scene of the mythical gods Dionysus and Hercules engaged in a drinking contest, according to a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The artifact, which is estimated to be about 1,700 years old, was discovered during an excavation in Caesarea, which lies along the country's Mediterranean coast. "We were uncovering soft dune sand when suddenly the tip of a marble object appeared," explained archaeologists Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit. The coffin had been broken into many pieces, but overall remained fantastically preserved. "Piece by piece, we revealed gods, satyrs, animals, and finally the crowning scene—Hercules reclined on a lion's skin, cup in hand, clearly defeated." "This isn't just decoration," Shahar continued. "This motif of the drinking contest between Dionysus and Hercules, while found in mosaics from Zippori and Antioch, has never been discovered on a sarcophagus in our region. It reflects a belief that death marks not an end, but a transition-celebrated with wine, dance, and divine company." After a painstaking conservation process undertaken by a series of experts, the full scene emerged for the first time in centuries. The scene finds famously strong Hercules felled not by his mythical opponents, but rather wine, as Dionysus looks on unfazed. "It's clear who won the contest," Shahar cracked. "Hercules can no longer stand." The sarcophagus will shortly be on display for the public. "This sarcophagus prompts us to rethink the spiritual and physical geography of Roman Caesarea," said Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "It's a powerful example of how Roman-era funerary art merged myth, ritual, and personal legacy."1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 14, 2025
The Independent
11-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Uncovered sarcophagus offers an ancient perspective on death
Archaeologists in Israel unearthed a 1,700-year-old marble sarcophagus depicting the Greek gods Hercules and Dionysus in a drinking contest near Caesarea. The sarcophagus, dating from the second or third century AD, suggests the area outside Caesarea was densely populated during the Roman period. The artefact portrays animals, trees, Hercules, and Dionysus, with Hercules shown unable to stand, indicating Dionysus won the drinking contest. Experts are restoring the sarcophagus, which provides a rare regional perspective on death, symbolising it as a transition to a new life rather than an end. Israel Antiquities Authority director Eli Escusido called the find "thought-provoking," highlighting its insights into Roman-era beliefs and daily life.
