In Roman Smyrna, the local branch of the theatrical guild, the Technitai of Dionysus, honored their god with a special epithet. In most cities the Actors’ god was simply Dionysus without title, οἱ περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνῖται. At Smyrna he was Dionysus Βρισεύς: thus in Aelius Aristides (Or. 41.5 K.), and in seven inscriptions Βρεισεύς with the grapheme for long iota that was common in Imperial times (e.g. I.Smyrna 600: συνόδῳ τῶν περὶ τὸν Βρείσεα Διόνυσον; 652: ἡ ἱερὰ σύνοδο[ς] τῶν Βρεισέων). Two inscriptions give Βρησεύς (758, 759). The word is not on record earlier than the Roman Empire. How to account for it?
The lexicographers assert two ways. The fullest version extant is in the Etymologicum Magnum (213 Gaisford):
Βρισαῖος, οὕτως ὁ Διόνυσος· καὶ εἰ μὲν διὰ τοῦ ι, παρὰ τὸ βρίζειν ἐστίν, ὁ ὁρμητικός· εἰ δὲ διὰ τοῦ η, ἀπὸ ἄκρας Λεσβιακῆς Βρήσης, ἧς μέμνηται Ἀνδροτίων· ὅτι τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῇ Βρίσῃ φησὶν ἱδρῦσθαι ὑπὸ Μάκαρος.
Brisaios, so Dionysus is called. And if with iota, it is ...