Lares (sing.
Lar, also called
Genii lociIn Roman mythology a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted as a snake. In contemporary usage, genius loci usually refers to a location's distinctive atmosphere, or a "spirit of place", rather than necessarily a guardian spirit.Usage: "Light reveals the genius loci...
or, more archaically,
Lases) were ancient
RomanThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
deitiesA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
protecting the house and the family, they were a form of
household godsA household deity is a deity or spirit that protects the home, looking after the entire household or certain key members. It has been a common belief in pagan religions as well as in folklore across many parts of the world....
.
Lares were presumed sons of
MercuryMercury was a messenger, and a god of trade, profit and commerce, the son of Maia Maiestas, also known as Ops, the Roman version of Rhea, and Jupiter. His name is related to the Latin word merx...
and Lara, and deeply venerated by ancient Romans through small statues, usually put in higher places of the house, far from the floor, or even on the roof (but some statues were also on some crossings of roads).
Lares (sing.
Lar, also called
Genii lociIn Roman mythology a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted as a snake. In contemporary usage, genius loci usually refers to a location's distinctive atmosphere, or a "spirit of place", rather than necessarily a guardian spirit.Usage: "Light reveals the genius loci...
or, more archaically,
Lases) were ancient
RomanThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
deitiesA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
protecting the house and the family, they were a form of
household godsA household deity is a deity or spirit that protects the home, looking after the entire household or certain key members. It has been a common belief in pagan religions as well as in folklore across many parts of the world....
.
Lares were presumed sons of
MercuryMercury was a messenger, and a god of trade, profit and commerce, the son of Maia Maiestas, also known as Ops, the Roman version of Rhea, and Jupiter. His name is related to the Latin word merx...
and Lara, and deeply venerated by ancient Romans through small statues, usually put in higher places of the house, far from the floor, or even on the roof (but some statues were also on some crossings of roads). Of the Lares proper, there are only two, and they had inferior power. Over time, their power was extended over houses, country, sea, cities, etc., as the Lares became conflated with other
RomanRoman mythology, or Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its main city, Ancient Rome. It can be considered as having two parts; One part, largely later and literary, consists of borrowings from Greek mythology...
deities and protective spirits.
The Genius loci was presumed to take part in all that happened inside the house, and a statue was also put on the table during the meals.
In the early Roman times, in every house there was at least one little statue. Later, a sort of confusion connected their figure with those of
ManesIn Roman mythology, the Manes were the souls of deceased loved ones. As minor spirits, they were similar to the Lares, Genii, and Di Penates. They were honored during the Parentalia and Feralia in February....
, deities of
HadesHades refers both to the ancient Greek underworld, the abode of Hades, and to the god of the underworld. Hades in Homer referred just to the god; the genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades"...
(and the most virtuous dead persons of the family). Finally the confusion included the Penates (other minor deities) as well. In
Late AntiquityLate Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown...
they represented the "illustrious dead" of the city and empire of
RomeAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and the Emperor
Alexander SeverusMarcus Aurelius Severus Alexander , commonly called Alexander Severus, was the last Roman emperor of the Severan dynasty...
venerated the Lares of such figures as
AbrahamAbraham is the founding patriarch of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Midianites and Edomite peoples, as described in the book of Genesis. He is widely regarded as the patriarch of Jews, Christians, and Muslims....
,
OrpheusOrpheus is an important figure from Greek mythology, the inspiration for subsequent Orphic cults, much of the literature, poetry and drama of ancient Greece and Rome and, due to his association with singing and the lyre, much dramatic Western classical music.Orpheus was called by Pindar "the...
, and Jesus Christ.
In his book
Phases in the Religion of Ancient Rome, historian Cyril Bailey presents some interesting information regarding the Lares. The festival of the Lares was known as the
CompitaliaIn Ancient Roman religious tradition, the Compitalia was a festival celebrated once a year in honor of the Lares Compitales, household deities of the crossroads, to whom sacrifices were offered at the places where two or more ways meet. The word comes from the Latin compitum, a cross-way.This...
, which refers to the crossroads. The crossroads were the traditional setting for the veneration of the Lares. Crossroads have also been associated with
witchcraftWitchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers. Witchcraft can refer to the use of such powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property...
since ancient times.
Scholar Georges Dumezil, in his book
Archaic Roman Religion, mentions that the worship of the Lares included setting little towers with an altar placed before them. Archaeologists Lesley and Roy Adkins note (in their book
Dictionary of Roman Religion) that the Lare shrine at the crossroads was “open in all four directions to allow passage for the Lar”.
The ancient writer
OvidPublius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who wrote about love, seduction, and mythological transformation....
, in his work titled
Fasti, refers to the Lares as the “night watchmen”.
Lararia
Lararia are small domestic altars to the Lares and other household Gods, most visible in the remains of
PompeiiPompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei...
. Often in small niches in very public areas within a house, such as looking down corridors and onto
peristyleIn Hellenistic Greek and Roman architecture a peristyle is a columned porch or open colonnade in a building surrounding a court that may contain an internal garden. "Tetrastoon" is another name for this feature...
gardens, they represent a very personal and very important part of
RomanRoman mythology, or Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its main city, Ancient Rome. It can be considered as having two parts; One part, largely later and literary, consists of borrowings from Greek mythology...
domestic religion. The
House of MenanderThe House of Menander is a building in Pompeii, Italy. It is located in the southern half of the town, just northeast of the Little and Large Theaters, as well as the Gladiators’ barracks...
has one such lararium within room XXV that had very rustic statuary associated with it, revealing the active use of such altars in the mid-first century AD when
PompeiiPompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei...
was destroyed.
Other examples of Lararia at
PompeiiPompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei...
include the
House of the VettiiIn Pompeii one of the most famous of the luxurious residences, a domus rather than a villa, is the so-called "House of the Vettii", preserved like the rest of the Roman city by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The house is named for its owners, two successful freedmen: Aulus Vettius Conviva, an...
, the House of the Golden Cupids and the House of the Ephebus
Non-structural forms of Lararia can be seen through decorative art. The example from the
House of the VettiiIn Pompeii one of the most famous of the luxurious residences, a domus rather than a villa, is the so-called "House of the Vettii", preserved like the rest of the Roman city by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The house is named for its owners, two successful freedmen: Aulus Vettius Conviva, an...
is perhaps the best known of these. Measuring 1.3m x 2.25m, this alternative forms of expression is in a very visible area within a courtyard of the house; perhaps revealing of its purpose in showing status. Even the stonework surrounding this painting is used to help generate a religious experience as it is styled like a
classicalThe word classical has several meanings. In general, these meanings refer to some past time, works of that time or later works influenced by that time...
templeA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
complete with a detailed
pedimentThis article is about the architectural element. For the landform, see Pediment .A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice...
. Interestingly, this
pedimentThis article is about the architectural element. For the landform, see Pediment .A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice...
contains a
patera; a bowl used during religious activity, and undoubtedly a very recognisable icon.
Types of Lares
Types of Lares:
- Lares Compitales—crossroads
- Lares Domestici—the house
- Lares Familiares
Lares Familiares were mythological spirits of ancient Rome. The singular form is Lar Familiaris.The Lar Familiaris was a kind of domestic guardian spirit who cared for the welfare and prosperity of a household. A household's lararium, a shrine to the Lar Familiaris, usually stood near the hearth...
—family
- Lares Patrii
- Lares Permarini
Lares Permarini was a Roman temple , of the Lares who protect sailors, in the campus Martius.It was vowed by the praetor, L. Aemilius Regillus, while engaged in a naval battle with the fleet of Antiochus the Great in 190 B.C., and dedicated by M. Aemilius Lepidus, when censor, on 22 December, 179....
—the sea
- Lares Praestitis—the state
- Lares Privati
- Lares Rurales—land
- Lares Viales—travellers
See also
- Genius
Genius in Roman mythology is the individual instance of a general divine nature that is present in every individual person, place or thing.-Religious context:...
- Lemures
- Di Penates
In Roman mythology, the Di Penates or briefly Penates were originally patron gods of the storeroom, later becoming household gods guarding the entire household. They were related to the Lares, Genii and Lemures...
- Manes
In Roman mythology, the Manes were the souls of deceased loved ones. As minor spirits, they were similar to the Lares, Genii, and Di Penates. They were honored during the Parentalia and Feralia in February....
- Turan
Turan was the Etruscan goddess of love and vitality and patroness of the city of Velch. In art, she was usually depicted as a young winged girl . Turan appears in toilette scenes of Etruscan bronze mirrors. She is richly robed and jeweled in early and late depictions, but consistently appears nude...
, the Etruscan love goddess