Lares facts for kids

Lares were special ancient Roman gods. They were believed to protect homes and families. Think of them as the guardians of the house! Romans deeply respected these gods.

People often thought the Lares were the sons of Mercury, the messenger god, and Lara. Romans would place small statues of Lares in their homes. These statues were usually put in high places, like on shelves or even on the roof. In early Roman times, almost every house had at least one of these little statues.

Over time, people sometimes confused the Lares with other Roman spirits. These included the Manes, who were spirits of the dead, and the Di Penates, who were also protective household gods. Even though there was some confusion, the idea of the Lares as protectors of the home remained very important.

Protecting Roman Homes

The Lares were central to daily life in Roman homes. Families would offer prayers and small gifts to their Lares. These offerings might include food, wine, or incense. This was a way to ask for protection and good fortune for the family and the house.

Each Roman home had a special shrine called a lararium. This was usually a small altar or a painted niche on a wall. It was where the statues of the Lares were kept. The lararium was a sacred spot where the family could connect with their household gods.

Different Kinds of Lares

While many Lares protected individual homes, there were also Lares who looked after other things. For example, some Lares protected travelers on roads. These were called Lares Viales. There were also Lares who watched over neighborhoods or even the entire city. This shows how important these protective spirits were to the Romans in many parts of their lives.

Related pages

• Turan, an Etruscan love goddess

Images for kids

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  A bronze Lar holding a cornucopia. This statue is from Roman Spain and is now in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain.

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  A fresco from Pompeii showing two Lares with a genius offering at an altar. You can also see a flute player and servants.

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  A bronze Lar from the first century AD, now in the Capitoline Museum.

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  An inscription dedicated to the Lares Viales, the Lares of the roads.

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  A small bronze figurine of a Lar, found in the Gallo-Roman Museum, Tongeren.

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  A lararium (household shrine) with painted figures at the House of the Vettii in Pompeii. It shows two Lares flanking an ancestor-genius.

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  A fresco from near Pompeii, showing Roman men in special robes during a festival called Compitalia.

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  A drawing from a bas-relief showing an image of a Lar being carried in a procession during Compitalia.

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  A household lararium in Pompeii.

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  A Gallo-Roman Lar from the Imperial period, now in the Historical Museum of Bern.

See also

In Spanish: Lares (mitología) para niños