Bacchus and Silenus Question

[Doc]

Are the two gods mentioned above one and the same or not? I know that originally Dionysus (Bacchus) was depicted with a beard and grapes. However, so was Silenus so how can one distinguish the two unless Silenus was made bald and the other was not. Then at some point Dionysus is made to look young and almost effeminate. Was this to distinguish him from Silenus?

If one were to make a copy of these for any reason, would their headdress not be identical with the exception that Bacchus would be young and beardless and the other old and bearded...possibly bald?

I am looking for images of the two from the 1st C AD. I have something in mind but would like some help with an explanation and photos before I get started.

Thanks

[Michael J. Taylor]

Silenus in literary myth is the tutor of Dionysius, usually portrayed as a satyr like figure.

[PhilusEstilius]

Here are pictures of both Dionysos and Silenus taken from figures found at Pompeii and Herculanium, Dionysos is in a very calm pose however Silenus is considered to be the drunken companion of Dionysos falling off his donkey more than on it and he is shown in a sarcophagus frieze with bacchantese on his cart with even his donkey falling over.

I do think that even in ancient times Silenus may have been shown as such to warn others of the evils of drink.
[attachment=8682]0052.jpg[/attachment]

[PhilusEstilius]

Here are pictures of Silenus from the Lauersfort Phalerae showing how the Slienus figure looked when found, and my own reconstruction of the missing face for the many copies that I have made.
[attachment=8684]img071_2014-01-13.jpg[/attachment]

[attachment=8685]Silenus.jpg[/attachment]

[Doc]

Thank you for the reply. Excellent reconstruction Brian.

Do you happen to have a picutre of a young Bacchus?

[PhilusEstilius]

Here is a picture of the great dish from the Mildenhall treasure that I have rotated to show Dionysos at the bottom with his foot on his favourite animal a leopard, then next to him on his right is his drunken companion Silenus.This dish is about 60 cm in diameter and is held in the BM.
[attachment=8696]mild.jpg[/attachment]

[PhilusEstilius]

Here is another picture of a young Dionysos / Bacchus from a relief found at Heculaneum and shows him with his attributes, the pine- cone tipped Thyrsus and the panther.
[attachment=8698]0022.jpg[/attachment]

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I've posted this elsewhere before, but this Mosaic in Pella from the 4th Century BC shows Dionysus on a Cheetah.

[Doc]

Thanks Evan for the picture. It appears that with respect to certain divinities, the change in the appearance is not that great over the centuries. I know certain things were modified here and there but not dramatically (of course there are exceptions here as well).