Abstract.Given the discriminant dk of a quadratic field k, the number of cyclic relative extensions N\k of fixed odd prime degree p with dihedral absolute Galois group of order 2p , which share a common conductor /, is called the multiplicity of the dihedral discriminant d^ = f2^p~^d^ . In this paper, general formulas for multiplicities of dihedral discriminants are derived by analyzing the p-rank of the ring class group mod / of k . For the special case p = 3 , c4 = -3 , an elementary proof is given additionally. The theory is illustrated by a discussion of all known discriminants of multiplicity > 5 of totally real and complex cubic fields.