Dionysos in the Decapolis

The present article forms a synthesis of the artistic media - architectural, sculptural and wall painting - and the epigraphic and numismatic evidence. These enable the examination of the role of Dionysos in the life of the cities of the Decapolis, especially the religious practice during the Roman period. The various findings emphasize the artistic-visual-aesthetic aspects of his cult in those cities where the god was worshipped. Presumably, the cult of Dionysos was practiced at both state and civic levels, and perhaps also as a cult in the private sphere.