Also called Di Manes, Di Parentes.
Their story
The Manes were the spirits of the dead, treated as a collective divinity, and Roman tombstones begin with D M, Dis Manibus, to the divine Manes. During the Parentalia families visited the tombs outside the city with simple gifts, and temples were shut. Ovid says the dead were content with a tile garlanded, a scattering of grain, a pinch of salt, bread softened in wine and loose violets. He adds that when the rites were once neglected, the dead wandered the streets howling.
Best times to give to them
- Parentalia, 13 to 21 February
- Feralia, 21 February
- Rosalia, May and June
- Anniversaries of death
What they like being given
- Violets
- Grain and salt
- Bread soaked in wine or grape juice
- A lit lamp
How to honour them
- Visit or tidy a grave in February.
- Place violets and bread with a written name by a photo of the dead.
- Speak the names of your ancestors aloud.
How they can help you
- Honouring the dead
- Grief
- Family heritage
Symbols
- roof tile
- violets
- grave lamp
- salt and grain
Sources
- Ovid, Fasti 2
- Cicero, De Legibus 2.22
- Varro, De Lingua Latina 6.13
More Roman spirits
- The Lares Guardian spirits of the household and crossroads
- Penates Guardians of the household store cupboard
- 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