Ancient Romans Believed Dead Became Household Gods

Ancient Romans Believed the Dead Became Household Gods

On August 13, 15 BCE, the Roman Emperor Augustus dedicated the Ara Pacis, a monumental altar in Rome, to promote peace and stability throughout the empire. Roman historian Marcus Velleius Paterculus recorded this event, highlighting the importance of ancestral worship in Roman culture. Augustus's efforts to revitalize traditional Roman values, including the cult of the lares, had a lasting impact on Roman society.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the ancient Romans believed in a simple afterlife, where the souls of the dead went to the underworld, ruled by Hades and Persephone. The standard story goes that Romans did not have a complex understanding of the afterlife, and their religious practices were primarily focused on appeasing the gods to ensure prosperity and protection. However, this oversimplification neglects the intricate and multifaceted nature of Roman religion, particularly regarding the role of the lares.

What History Actually Shows

Roman historian Livy, in his book "Ab Urbe Condita," written around 27 BCE, describes the lares as household gods that protected the family and the home. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, in his "Naturalis Historia," written in 77 CE, provides further insight into the cult of the lares, explaining that the Romans believed the souls of the dead became lares, watching over their descendants and ensuring their well-being. The Romans believed that these household gods were responsible for protecting the family from harm, and that they played a crucial role in maintaining the pax domestica, or domestic peace. Roman historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus, in his "Roman Antiquities," written around 7 BCE, also discusses the importance of the lares in Roman religion, highlighting their role in ensuring the fertility and prosperity of the family. By examining the works of these historians, it becomes clear that the ancient Romans had a sophisticated understanding of the afterlife, where the souls of the dead continued to play an active role in the lives of their descendants. The cult of the lares was an integral part of Roman religion, and its significance extended beyond the individual household to the broader Roman society, as evidenced by the numerous inscriptions and archaeological finds dating back to 100 BCE and 50 CE.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Edward Gibbon and Barthold Georg Niebuhr decided to focus on the grandeur of the Roman Empire, rather than its spiritual practices, which led to the suppression of the story about lares. The Catholic Church also played a significant role in burying this history, as they sought to eliminate any remnants of pagan beliefs and replace them with Christian traditions. A concrete reason why this history was not told is that many Roman texts and artifacts were destroyed or lost during the Middle Ages, making it difficult for later scholars to reconstruct the full picture of Roman spiritual life. The decision by Renaissance scholars to prioritize the study of classical Roman literature and politics over its spiritual practices further contributed to the erasure of this aspect of Roman history.

The Ripple Effect

The belief that the souls of the dead became lares had a direct impact on the development of the Roman concept of family and home. The lares were believed to protect and watch over the household, which led to the creation of shrines and rituals to honor them. This, in turn, influenced the design of Roman homes, with many featuring a lararium, a small shrine dedicated to the household gods. A specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the traditional Italian practice of keeping a small shrine or altar in the home, often dedicated to ancestors or saints, which is a direct descendant of the ancient Roman lararium.

The Line That Says It All

The ancient Roman belief that the souls of the dead became lares was gradually erased from historical records and replaced with Christian traditions, leaving behind only faint remnants of a once vibrant spiritual practice.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to ancient Roman spiritual practices and the history of the Roman Empire.