Lares: Roman Household Gods That Protected Home And Family

A. Sutherland  – AncientPages.com – Many ancient cultures across the world had a common belief in someone that protects the home, looking after the entire household and the family members.

Left: Household altar in Herculaneum (Italy). source; Right: Bronze Lar Familiaris from the 1st century CE (M.A.N., Madrid). source

In some ancient cultures, the people had a domestic or hearth goddess. Brownies were household spirits from Scottish folklore, and in ancient Egypt, Taweret was considered to be a guardian of the house, a guardian of sleep, and her amulets also protected against evil charms. In ancient Slavic beliefs, Domovik was a household spirit that guarded the sanctity of the home.

In earlier times, Roman houses were small and much simpler, and yet, there was a place for a hearth, the main source of light and heat for everyone, and next to it, the family members gathered every day to eat, rest and talk.

The cult of Lares was widespread in the Roman Empire, and symbolically, also a Lar (Familiaris) or (lares, if more of them), a highly respected household god was present at the center of family life.

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