The artist is unknown, but was probably male. Most artists who created distinctive sarcophagi such as this one lived in Rome, Ostia, and Athens, as well as near the quarries at Aphrodisias in Asia Minor. By the time of the reign of Hadrian (A.D. 117–38), sarcophagi had become the dominant artistic form of sculpture. The best Roman, Greek, and eastern artisans became attracted to the medium. In Greece and Asia Minor, there were several independent workshops producing sarcophagi.

This white marble panel, commissioned by a wealthy Roman follower of the mysterious cult of Dionysus, depicts the god’s triumphant return after spreading the “miracle” of wine to India and the East. At the composition’s center is Dionysus, who is identified by a headdress of grapes and vines, lounging on a cart drawn by two panthers. Often associated with panthers, the mythological Dionysus transformed himself into a panther and punished two women who denied his divinity. His languorous pose and relaxed state of undress suggest sensuality. Around him, graceful female celebrants called maenads dance and play music. Satyrs, male followers with both human and animal characteristics, try to interest the maenads. Winged cupids and bridled animals surround Pan a forest creature with human torso and goat legs, as he looks back at Dionysus and guides the panthers pulling the cart. The old satyr, Silenus, rides his donkey beside Pan while balancing a bowl of fruit on his head, an amazing feat since he is usually depicted inebriated from the wine. Captives of Dionysus’ Indian campaign sit on the back of an exotic elephant that has an extraordinarily long and elegant trunk. The scene on this sarcophagus unfolds in a progression from left to right, yet dramatically revolves around a center of action.

Roman sarcophagi were usually placed in alcoves and were therefore carved only on the front. Made of white Carrara marble, this panel is an alto rilievo or high-relief sculpture, a three dimensional sculpture that is not free-standing but is deeply carved on one side and completely flat on the reverse. On the front of this high relief panel, the figures appear almost unattached to the heavy, flat stone in the background. The swirl of the sheer robe of Dionysus, surrounded by the fluidity of the maenads’ veils and movements belies the weight and massiveness of the marble. The reverse side, not seen in this image, is left untouched.

Although cremation had been the most common funerary practice in the Roman Empire since the mid-1st century B.C., burial, especially in stone sarcophagi, began to be favored during the reign of the emperor Trajan (A.D. 98–117). Under the next emperor, Hadrian (A.D. 117–138), human burial in sarcophagi became an established practice throughout the Roman Empire. The sarcophagi of the Romans illustrate the international character of its vast empire, and increasingly adopted regional shapes and themes that corresponded to local artistic and spiritual preferences. Heroic or celebratory scenes from Greek mythology were prevalent. Reveling scenes, such as those including Dionysus (known as Bacchus to the Greeks) were popular as depictions of the anticipated afterlife.