Amphora attributed to the Swing Painter. On one side, ivy-wreathed Dionysos is depicted flanked by two Satyrs. He holds a kantharos from which two ivy-branches spring. The other side is decorated with a scene of divine assembly, including Hermes and Athena in the middle, Ares on the far left and another god (perhaps Hephaistos) in the far right. According to the Iliad, Dionysos, god of wine, was a fount of joy for mortals, soothing sorrows and bringing sleep and oblivion from everyday trials and tribulations. Therefore, images of Dionysos frequently adorned vessels associated with wine-drinking (amphorae, kraters, oinochoae, kylikes). Dionysiac scenes were very popular on Attic vases of the second half of the 6th c. BC. This was probably related with the growing significance of the cult of Dionysos in Late Archaic Attica, perhaps as a result of the policy of the Peisistratids, who sought to boost rural festivals in an effort to gain public support. Archaic vase-painters used to depict Dionysos as an old, bearded man wearing a chiton and himation and holding his beloved wine-cup. Painted on the base of the vase is the sign T, which was made by the potter. Such dipinti may have referred to the price or were symbols relating to the trade of the vases. Possibly the T is a symbol of a monetary unit (T = tetrobol) and consequently denoted the price of the vase.