In the Service of the Gods - Private Cults in Carnuntum

When we think of Roman religion, we see large temples, magnificent altars and solemn processions. However, people's religious life did not only take place in public spaces. Religion was also an integral part of everyday life in the private sphere, at home - quieter, more inconspicuous, but by no means less important. In cities such as Rome or Carnuntum, where people from many parts of the Roman Empire lived together, a diverse and very personal form of religious practice developed: the Roman domestic cult.

The domestic cult was a religion for every day. Unlike the great ceremonies of the state religion, which were concerned with the well-being of the entire empire, faith in the home revolved around family, house and possessions. The most important protective deities were the Lares, the good spirits of the house, the Penates, guardians of the provisions, and the Genius - a kind of personal protective power or divine portion of the head of the house. The numen, the divine presence in man and nature, could also play a role.

These deities accompanied the family through everyday life, on small and large occasions: on birthdays, feast days or at communal meals. The rituals usually took place at the lararium - a small domestic shrine that was clearly visible in the atrium, in the kitchen or in the garden. This is where offerings were made, lights were lit, statuettes of the gods were erected and prayers were said - often in the presence of everyone who lived in the house, including slaves and servants. The pater familias, the head of the family, was usually in charge of the rituals.

Lararium in the House of Lucius in the Roman Quarter - © Römerstadt Carnuntum

Although many Romans worshipped similar tutelary gods, the form of domestic religion varied greatly. This diversity is particularly evident in a multicultural metropolis like Carnuntum. In addition to the usual Lares - often depicted as dancing youths with flowing robes - figures of Mercury, Fortuna, Minerva or Venus can also be found in the household shrines. Personified concepts such as Victoria (victory) or Cupid (love) were also often worshipped. The small lararia reflected this religious plurality: they combined the patron gods of the house with personal favorite deities or regional traditions. Some divine figures were probably also carried around like amulets - a kind of portable protection in everyday life.

Statuettes of a Genius, Lar and Cupid - © NÖ Landessammlungen

Regular sacrifices were a central part of the house cult. In order to secure the benevolence of the gods - especially the ancestral spirits - food, flowers or drinks were offered to them. The offerings were placed directly in the lararium on small altar tables or miniature altars. Typical offerings included fruit, bread, cakes, wine, milk and fragrant oils. Meat was a popular offering on special feast days. Wreaths, flowers and garlands were also used as decorations and ritual offerings. The occasion determined the type and size of the offerings. Feast days were celebrated with further offerings and special decorations for the shrines - oil lamps were set up, wreaths were hung or precious ingredients were sacrificed.

Lararium in the Villa Urbana in the Roman quarter - © Römerstadt Carnuntum

Ancestor worship played a special role in the house cult. The Lares familiares were not only revered as guardian spirits of the house, but also as the embodiment of the deceased ancestors. They watched over the well-being of the family, all relatives, servants and the house itself. The connection to the ancestors was kept alive with daily offerings, feast day sacrifices and the preservation of their images (imagines maiorum). Remembering the ancestors was not only emotionally important, but also a religious duty of the pater familias. The cult of ancestors gave the family a sense of direction and consolidated their own origins within the family.

Offering of incense by the pater familias - © Römerstadt Carnuntum

In addition to the official gods and ritual regulations, there was also room for emotional and individual needs in private piety. Amulets and talismans were found in many homes to protect against evil - against illness, misfortune or envy. Small figurines, pieces of jewelry or magical objects were supposed to bring protection and luck. Numerous lead motifs - small figures with inscriptions or symbols - have been discovered in Carnuntum, which were probably placed in house shrines or small gardens. These objects clearly show how closely personal concerns and religious practice were linked. Official worship was often combined with popular belief, which was characterized by the desire for salvation, protection and security.

 Lead motif and bird claw amulet - © NÖ Landessammlungen 

The Roman domestic cult was not restricted to a single location. Lararia could be set up in the atrium, at the hearth, in the peristyle or in the garden. Small places of worship can also be found at property boundaries or in outbuildings such as courtyards and workshops - for example with sacrificial pits, altars or dedicatory inscriptions. Evidence of private sanctuaries has even been found in simple residential buildings: painted niches, aedicules or simple altar tables with sacrificial remains.

One example from Carnuntum illustrates this particularly well: five clay lamps and a consecration altar for the nymphs were found in the garden of the so-called “House of Lucius” - presumably part of a small garden nymphaeum. The lamps bore traces of repeated use and suggest that ritual acts took place here over a long period of time.

Living room in the house of Lucius - © Römerstadt Carnuntum

The Roman domestic cult was far more than a casual ritual. It was an expression of personal hope, family memory and social affiliation. In the familiar surroundings of the home, religion became tangible, alive and close to everyday life. Sacrifices, offerings, prayers and magical practices combined to form a dense network of religious acts that permeated daily life. Particularly in cities such as Carnuntum, where many religious traditions could come together, the domestic cult became a place of cultural diversity and religious creativity - a silent but powerful companion in the life of the Roman family.

Event tip:

On June 7 and 8, you can look over the shoulders of the Carnuntines in their living rooms as they perform cult practices: Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of ancient Carnuntum and discover everyday life in the Roman quarter - an experience for all Roman enthusiasts!