The Dancing Lares and the Serpent in the Garden : Religion at the Roman Street Corner

The most pervasive gods in ancient Rome had no traditional mythology attached to them, nor was their worship organized by elites. Throughout the Roman world featured small shrines to the beloved __lares__, a pair of cheerful little dancing gods. These shrines were maintained primarily by ordinary Romans, and often by slaves and freedmen, for whom the __lares__ cult provided a unique public leadership role. This book offers an original account of these gods and a new way of understanding the lived experience of everyday Roman religion. Weaving together a wide range of evidence, the book sets forth a new interpretation of the much-disputed nature of the __lares__. The book makes the case that they are not spirits of the dead, as many have argued, but rather benevolent protectors. The book examines the rituals honoring the __lares__, their cult sites, and their iconography, as well as the meaning of the snakes often depicted alongside __lares__ in paintings of gardens. It also looks at Compitalia, a popular midwinter neighborhood festival in honor of the __lares__, and describes how its politics played a key role in Rome's increasing violence in the 60s and 50s BC, as well as in the efforts of Augustus to reach out to ordinary people living in the city's local neighborhoods. A reconsideration of seemingly humble gods that were central to the religious world of the Romans, this is also the first major account of the full range of __lares__ worship in the homes, neighborhoods, and temples of ancient Rome. The most pervasive gods in ancient Rome had no traditional mythology attached to them, nor was their worship organized by elites. Throughout the Roman world, neighborhood street corners, farm boundaries, and household hearths featured small shrines to the beloved lares , a pair of cheerful little dancing gods. These shrines were maintained primarily by ordinary Romans, and often by slaves and freedmen, for whom the lares cult provided a unique public leadership role. In this comprehensive and richly illustrated book, the first to focus on the lares , Harriet Flower offers a strikingly original account of these gods and a new way of understanding the lived experience of everyday Roman religion. Weaving together a wide range of evidence, Flower sets forth a new interpretation of the much-disputed nature of the lares . She makes the case that they are not spirits of the dead, as many have argued, but rather benevolent protectors—gods of place, especially the household and the neighborhood, and of travel. She examines the rituals honoring the lares , their cult sites, and their iconography, as well as the meaning of the snakes often depicted alongside lares in paintings of gardens. She also looks at Compitalia, a popular midwinter neighborhood festival in honor of the lares , and describes how its politics played a key role in Rome's increasing violence in the 60s and 50s BC, as well as in the efforts of Augustus to reach out to ordinary people living in the city's local neighborhoods. A reconsideration of seemingly humble gods that were central to the religious world of the Romans, this is also the first major account of the full range of lares worship in the homes, neighborhoods, and temples of ancient Rome. Some images inside the book are unavailable due to digital copyright restrictions. The most pervasive gods in ancient Rome had no traditional mythology attached to them, nor was their worship organized by elites. Throughout the Roman world, neighborhood street corners, farm boundaries, and household hearths featured small shrines to the beloved lares, a pair of cheerful little dancing gods. These shrines were maintained primarily by ordinary Romans, and often by slaves and freedmen, for whom the lares cult provided a unique public leadership role. In this comprehensive and richly illustrated book, the first to focus on the lares, Harriet Flower offers a strikingly original account of these gods and a new way of understanding the lived experience of everyday Roman religion.Weaving together a wide range of evidence, Flower sets forth a new interpretation of the much-disputed nature of the lares. She makes the case that they are not spirits of the dead, as many have argued, but rather benevolent protectors--gods of place, especially the household and the neighborhood, and of travel. She examines the rituals honoring the lares, their cult sites, and their iconography, as well as the meaning of the snakes often depicted alongside lares in paintings of gardens. She also looks at Compitalia, a popular midwinter neighborhood festival in honor of the lares, and describes how its politics played a key role in Rome's increasing violence in the 60s and 50s BC, as well as in the efforts of Augustus to reach out to ordinary people living in the city's local neighborhoods.A reconsideration of seemingly humble gods that were central to the religious world of the Romans, this is also the first major account of the full range of lares worship in the homes, neighborhoods, and temples of ancient Rome. Información editorial The Most Pervasive Gods In Ancient Rome Had No Traditional Mythology Attached To Them, Nor Was Their Worship Organized By Elites. Throughout The Roman World, Neighborhood Street Corners, Farm Boundaries, And Household Hearths Featured Small Shrines To The Beloved Lares, A Pair Of Cheerful Little Dancing Gods. These Shrines Were Maintained Primarily By Ordinary Romans, And Often By Slaves And Freedmen, To Whom The Lares Cult Provided A Unique Public Leadership Role. In This Comprehensive And Richly Illustrated Book, The First To Focus On The Lares, Harriet Flower Offers A Strikingly Original Account Of These Gods And A New Way Of Understanding The Lived Experience Of Everyday Roman Religion. Weaving Together A Wide Range Of Evidence, Flower Sets Forth A New Interpretation Of The Much-disputed Nature Of The Lares. She Makes The Case That They Are Not Spirits Of The Dead, As Many Have Argued, But Rather Benevolent Protectors--gods Of Place, Especially The Household And The Neighborhood, And Of Travel. She Examines The Rituals Honoring The Lares, Their Cult Sites, And Their Iconography, As Well As The Meaning Of The Snakes Often Depicted Alongside Lares In Paintings Of Gardens. She Also Looks At Compitalia, A Popular Midwinter Neighborhood Festival In Honor Of The Lares, And Describes How Its Politics Played A Key Role In Rome's Increasing Violence In The 60s And 50s Bc, As Well As In The Efforts Of Augustus To Reach Out To Ordinary People Living In The City's Local Neighborhoods. Lar(es) / Genius And Juno / Snake(s) -- Shrines For Lares In Rome -- Celebrating Lares -- Augustus And Lares Augusti. Harriet I. Flower. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 361-386) And Index. Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- CONTENTS -- Preface -- I LAR(ES) / GENIUS AND JUNO / SNAKE(S) -- i Varro Hesitates . . . -- ii Origins and Early Evidence -- iii A Lar Introduces Himself -- iv Single Lar, Twin Lares -- v Monthly Rituals at the Hearth -- vi Kitchen Gods -- vii A Genius Pours a Libation -- viii Serpent(s) in a Garden -- ix A Painted Landscape of Local Gods -- II SHRINES FOR LARES IN ROME -- x The Three Asses of the Bride -- xi Temple: Aedes -- xii Sanctuary: Ara / Fanum / Sacellum / Pomerium -- xiii Crossroads Shrine: Compitum -- xiv Lots of Small Shrines: Compita and Sacella -- xv Pompeii: A Case Study -- xvi Sacred Spaces and Lares Who Live in Them -- III CELEBRATING LARES -- xvii Compitalia: Who Is My Neighbor? -- xviii Delos: A Case Study -- xix Local Networks: Vicatim -- xx Officers and Associations: (Vico)magistri, Ministri, Collegia -- xxi Magistri and Ministri in Italy -- xxii Politics at Compitalia -- xxiii Religion and Politics at the Crossroads -- IV AUGUSTUS AND LARES AUGUSTI -- xxiv Augustus and Rome before 7 BC -- xxv The Reform of 7 BC -- xxvi Lares Augusti -- xxvii Genius Augusti? -- xxviii Who Gets the Bull? -- xxix Ara Pacis Augustae: Who Gets the Pig? -- xxx August Gods in the Vici -- xxxi The "New Age" of Augustus: Time and History -- xxxii Augustus and Lares Augusti -- EPILOGUE -- Appendix 1 References to Lares by Roman Authors: A List -- Appendix 2 Lares in the Calendar at Rome -- Appendix 3 Augustan Time Patterns -- Bibliography -- Index -- Image Credits The most pervasive gods in ancient Rome had no traditional mythology attached to them, nor was their worship organized by elites. Throughout the Roman world featured small shrines to the beloved lares, a pair of cheerful little dancing gods. These shrines were maintained primarily by ordinary Romans, and often by slaves and freedmen, for whom the lares cult provided a unique public leadership role. This work offers an original account of these gods and a new way of understanding the lived experience of everyday Roman religion. Weaving together a wide range of evidence, the text sets forth a new interpretation of the much-disputed nature of the lares. Read more...