Silver drinking cups with relief decoration were very popular in the 1st centuries B.C. and A.D. Cups were sometimes made in pairs to encourage conversation about the scenes on the vessels. Cupids, scenes of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine (Greek Dionysos), and mythological narratives decorated most Roman tableware. Philosophical and political themes also appeared on silver vessels, as did pastoral and hunting scenes. Such imagery signaled the culture of their owner and stimulated intellectual conversation during and after dining.