In Greek mythology, Dionysus was born from Zeus's thigh after Semele's death.
Dionysus was the son of Zeus and Semele, a mortal princess of Thebes. Hera persuaded Semele to ask Zeus to reveal himself in his full divine form, and the sight overwhelmed her. Zeus rescued the unborn Dionysus and carried him inside his thigh until the child was ready to be born.
This unusual birth is one reason Dionysus is associated with rebirth, transformation, and crossing boundaries between mortal and divine worlds. He later became the Olympian god most closely linked with wine, theater, ecstasy, and ritual celebration.
A common mix-up is confusing Dionysus's unusual second birth with Athena's emergence from Zeus's head. Dionysus was also sometimes called the twice-born god, referring to his birth from Semele and his later birth from Zeus.