A01=Nonnus
alexandria
ancient Greek epics
ancient Greek gods in mythology
ancient greek literature
ancient Greek paganism and rituals
Author_Nonnus
Byzantine poetry and classics
Category=DB
Category=DBS
Category=DC
Category=DS
Category=DSBB
Category=FB
classical mythology in translation
eq_bestseller
eq_biography-true-stories
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eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_poetry
Greek polytheism in late antiquity
late antique poetry
late antique religion
late antique society
late antiquity
race in the ancient world
sexuality in classical literature
wine mythology in Greek culture
Product details
- ISBN 9780520281301
- Dimensions: 152 x 229mm
- Publication Date: 02 Jun 2026
- Publisher: University of California Press
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Hardback
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Nonnus of Panopolis's Dionysiaca is the longest and most ambitious epic poem to survive from Greco-Roman antiquity. Written by an Egyptian Christian in the fifth century CE, this stunning mythological adventure explores the birth, upbringing, exploits, and ultimate apotheosis of the god Dionysus, including his establishment of mystery cults, discovery of the vine, conquest of India, and troubling relationships with mortal women. Its 48 books offer a portrait, viewed through a Dionysiac lens, of pagan polytheism in its entirety, a multifaceted mythical system that, despite the Christianization of the Roman Empire, retained its grip on the imagination in Nonnus's day.
This new translation renders Nonnus's extraordinary poetic achievement into elegant but accessible English. It includes a substantial introduction and an extensive glossary of names and places. The last great pagan epic of classical antiquity, the Dionysiaca contains unparalleled insights into late antique attitudes to religion, the Greek literary tradition, sexuality, race, and the body. It tells the richest story possible of the transition between the pagan epic tradition and late antique Christianity.
This new translation renders Nonnus's extraordinary poetic achievement into elegant but accessible English. It includes a substantial introduction and an extensive glossary of names and places. The last great pagan epic of classical antiquity, the Dionysiaca contains unparalleled insights into late antique attitudes to religion, the Greek literary tradition, sexuality, race, and the body. It tells the richest story possible of the transition between the pagan epic tradition and late antique Christianity.
Tim Whitmarsh, FBA, is Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Trinity College. A specialist in the literature, culture, and religion of ancient Greece, he is author of 10 books and 120 academic articles.
