Carnival inspiration from the past

We are in the midst of the Carnival, so it's likely that you will be taking out of your closets your masks and dress up clothes! Or perhaps you're still undecided about your outfit? The Acropolis Museum has the solution for you! Visit its exhibition areas, get inspired (images 1 and 2) and dazzle everybody as goddess Athena, brave Hercules, or fearsome Medusa. You know, even in ancient times, disguises were a mean for fun and festivities during the celebration in honor of the great god Dionysos. People used to wear masks, animal capes and tails, and hanged out singing like Dionysos' mischievous friends, the Satyrs, the Sileni and the Maenads. Anywhere there was feasting, dancing, joy, pranks, and wine, Dionysos and his companions were bound to be present! From these festive events we got the tradition of Carnival today and we have a great time every year! Did you know that back then masks weren't used only for fun disguise purposes? In the theater, the actors wore special masks to play their roles, as only men played all the characters in the theatrical perfomances.