feasts and sacrifices in honour of Baechus, held every third year, and chiefly celebrated by wild-distracted women, called Bacchae. The chief solemnities were performed in the night, to conceal, perhaps, their shocking impurities; and a mountain was generally chosen as the place of celebration. They were instituted by Orpheus; and from him are sometimes called Orphica. Authors are not agreed as to the derivation of the word; but if we consider the frantic proceedings of the Bacchanalians, ὀγνυ, furor, bids fair for the true etymology. See BACCHANALIA.

Orgia, according to Servius, was a common name for all kinds of sacrifices among the Greeks, as ceremoniae was amongst the Romans.