Also called Lar Familiaris, Lares Compitales, Lares Praestites.
Their story
In Plautus's play The Pot of Gold, the household Lar speaks the prologue. He tells how he has guarded a hidden pot of gold for generations, and how he chose to reveal it to the family because the daughter of the house honoured him every day with incense, wine and garlands.
Best times to give to them
- the Kalends, Nones and Ides of each month
- the Compitalia at the turn of the year
- daily at the family meal
- family occasions such as birthdays, weddings and homecomings
What they like being given
- incense
- garlands and flowers
- a portion of the family meal
- a libation of wine or grape juice
- honey cakes
How to honour them
- Set up a small lararium, a shelf or niche with an image, a lamp and a bowl for offerings.
- Put a garland on the lararium on the Kalends, Nones and Ides, as Cato advised.
- Offer the Lares a small portion of the family meal and speak to them as protectors of the home.
- Greet the Lares when you come home after a journey, and tell them of family news.
How they can help you
- protection of the home
- family harmony
- a sense of belonging
- safe travel and homecoming
- honouring ancestors
Symbols
- lararium (household shrine)
- dancing youths with drinking horn
- snake
- garland
The Lares are household guardians rather than great gods, and are often honoured alongside the Penates of the pantry and the Genius of the head of the house.
More Roman spirits
- Penates Guardians of the household store cupboard
- Manes The honoured spirits of the family dead
- Genius The divine double of each man and household
- Juno (personal spirit) The guardian spirit of each woman
- Lares Compitales Guardians of crossroads and neighbourhoods
- Forculus and Limentinus Spirits of the door and the threshold
- Parcae The three Fates of birth and death
- Camenae Spring goddesses of song and prophecy