I’ve chatted about this topic before but I found a few more pictures to share.
Lararium in the peristyle garden of the House of the Tragic Poet, Pompeii
A larium was the small shrine located at various places in a Roman house. It was used for the daily worship of the household gods: the Lares, the Penates, and the Genius of the paterfamilias. Regular offerings of grain, cakes, fruit, and wine were made by members of the family to ensure good fortune. Often this important ritual was assigned to the owner’s domestic slaves.
A few well-preserved lararia, usually designed to mimic small temple structures, survive from Pompeii. Above is one of two lararia from the House of the Vettii, Pompeii. Below is another shrine from the Thermopolium (fast-food joint and tavern) of L. Vetutius Placidus, Pompeii.
All of the owners of these houses were modestly wealthy individuals, but nowhere near as ridiculously rich as a member of the senatorial class in Rome. Can you imagine how grand the lararium of Lucius Petronius Celsus must have been? Well, you won’t have to imagine. Max is on a mission in Chapter 9 of Games of Rome. But will he succeed? Stay tuned…
JPK
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