household gods
Publié le 22/02/2012
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Roman Throughout ancient
Rome, people believed in a variety of gods
that influenced their home lives. In their homes
were small altars to these gods. They performed
small rituals to honor the household gods. In fact,
some modern scholars suggest that the Roman
cultures maintained familiar rituals from generation
to generation without remembering their origins
and in later times developed myths to explain these
practices. The stories of these lesser gods may have
been borrowed from nearby cultures to explain these
Roman domestic rituals.
The most prominent among the household gods
were the Lares and the Penates. Each home had
its own Lar, a spirit, originally a revered ancestor,
that watched over the house and brought prosperity
to the family. Homes typically had small shrines in
them which included a statue that represented the
A second century B.C. Greek artist sculpted a bust
of a man believed to be Homer, and a Roman artist
copied the bust in the second century A.D. It stands
in the Louvre in Paris. (Photograph by Hay Kranen.)
Lar. Family members placed a portion of each meal
on this shrine, a token of thanks for the protection
the Lar brought.
Two Penates dwelled in each home, protecting
the storeroom or food cupboard from pests, molds,
and thieves. Families recognized a certain spot on
the hearth, near the family's fire, where the Penates
lived, and believed that these two spirits joined them
at their table for every meal.
Doorways were particularly important to Roman
citizens. The comings and goings of the family and
the community represented opportunities for both
success and danger. The greatest god of the doorway
was Janus, the two-faced god who could see forward
and backward, in toward the home and out toward
the community. He eventually became a prominent
god in Roman society. Janus was joined in his service
to the threshold by Limentinus, Lima, Cardea, and
Forculus.
Vesta, the goddess of the hearth and protector
of the fire, like Janus, became a prominent Roman
deity. In the home, Vesta watched over baking and
food preparation. Here it was the younger daughters'
responsibility to watch over the fire. A portion of
each meal was also dedicated to Vesta.
Even the tools of the household had forces protecting
them and watching over their users. Devera,
for example, was the goddess of brooms, who was
called upon to help clean the home for rituals and for
welcoming a new child.
Liens utiles
- Penates Roman Each household had two Penates, spirits or gods who protected the family storeroom.
- household gods Roman Throughout ancient Rome, people believed in a variety of gods that influenced their home lives.
- indigetes (dii indigites) Roman Apparently, lesser gods of the many people who inhabited Central Italy in the seventh and early sixth centuries b.
- Iris Greek Messenger of the gods, especially of Zeus, and a devoted attendant of Hera.
- Janus (Ianus) Roman One of the principal Roman gods and one of the oldest.