History of the Roman persecution that suddenly fell upon the worshippers of the cult of Bacchus in 186 B.C. has been the focus of researchers' attention for a long time. Availability of such epigraphic monument as the inscription from Tirioli that contains the text of the senate's decree on Bacchanalia together with the existence of the detailed narrative by Livy gives us unique opportunity of comparison between the documentary and the literary source. The aim of this research is to discover the political side of the Bacchanalian affair as well as to specify the juridical aspects of this persecution which rarely attracted the attention of the researchers. The author comes to the conclusion that political motivesplayed much more important role in the actions of the Roman authorities than the religious aspects of this affair. The governing body of the Roman senate, destroying the religious organization which to its opinion potentially could grow into something more dangerous than a mere private union, used that event to consolidate the power of senate not only in Rome, but also on the territories of the Roman allies in Italy.