A mosaic of Dionysus fighting the Indians in the Palazzo Massimo at Rome.
Part of the global mission of Dionysus was to give his rites to the Indian nation. Unfortunately, there was one King Deriades who refused. This caused a war between the forces of Dionysus and this king. This war and further adventures of Dionysus were told in the epic poem by Nonnos called The Dionysiaca. Per Wikipedia:
The Dionysiaca is an ancient epic poem and the principal work of Nonnus. It is an epic in 48 books, the longest surviving poem from antiquity at 20,426 lines, composed in Homeric dialect and dactylic hexameters, the main subject of which is the life of Dionysus, his expedition to India, and his triumphant return to the west
Dionysus won the war after 6 years of fighting against the Indian king. His warriors included Maenads, Satyrs, and other swordsmen.
The Priestess of Bacchus by John Collier.
by Rita Jean Moran (www.thelibrarykids.com and www.hiddenhumanstory.com)
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysiaca
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