Di Manes, The Roman Dead

 In the Roman religion, “di Manes” can be confusing, since They are originally the ordinary dead. Adding to the confusion, the term “Lemures” is often used interchangeably with “di Manes.” Romans have argued among themselves as to the difference between the two if any. (Note 1) Meanwhile, the “Larvae” are the unknown and unrecognizable Dead, who are forgotten. (Note 2) Di Manes are the Family Gods who take a part in the lives of the living.

 

Romans, in general, did not believe in an afterlife. The idea of the Dead going to Tartarus or the Elysium Fields is a Greek one. The closest to an afterlife is the Dead exiting and entering the Mundus, the underground granary that leads to their underworld home. What Romans believe happened to the Dead is that They became Gods.

 

The concept of the Dead being Gods who care for the living is a foreign one for modern people. For many, the Christian idea of the afterlife is the one they know – Heaven or Hell. Meanwhile, the undetermined dead went to Purgatory. Therefore, the living helped the Dead go to Heaven through prayers and Masses. In other words, the Dead are dependent upon the living for their well-being.

 

For Romans, after death, the Dead stayed in the world of the living. Di Manes interacted with people long after their physical body is gone. They provided many things for their families. Di Manes could prolong a person’s life or hasten their death. (An impious person often died early since di Manes would remove their protection.) Di Manes offered counseling to the living. They would come in dreams giving advice on a thorny problem They were also a Guardian of Oaths. People accused of crime would swear by di Manes of the fallen that they were innocent. Moreover, di Manes could disturb the sleep of the living. Since most families wanted harmonious relations with each other, they were careful not to ask for retribution from di Manes.

 

Roman graves are sacred spaces where the living would make their offerings. Therefore, the Roman funeral included rituals to remove the pollution of death from the attendants. Then earth would be heaped on the grave and sacrifices are made. At this time, the grave transforms into an altar to the new Gods. Then, another offering would be made.

 

Modern Roman Polytheists, who live far from family graves, have home altars to di Manes. These altars have items of the Dead like photos or favorite things. Daily offerings are made there for di Manes.

 

Modern people often ask what to do with the Dead who are toxic. If the Dead are Family Gods, then what about the unsavory Dead? A person would ask the “Wise and Well” Ancestors to intervene for them. These Wise and Well Ancestors can guide them as to how to deal with the toxic Dead. In “Bread of the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith,” Henri Nouwen, Dutch theologian said “Remembering the dead is choosing their ongoing companionship.” Therefore, a person should seek the blessings of the Wise and Well Dead. The object of asking Them is to end the multigeneration transmittal of toxicity in the Ancestral line. (Note 3).

 

Notes:

Note 1. Lemures could be the Dead who died tragically, or they could be identified with the Larvae. Roman sources have argued both. For instance, Varro said that the Manes were the friendly Dead, while the Larvae were the restless Dead.

 

Note 2. The Larvae, as the unknown Dead, could act as the Furies tormenting the living. Therefore, Romans had rituals to ward off the unidentified Dead such as banging pots.

 

Note 3. Murray Bowen, a psychiatrist, developed the “Bowen Family Systems Theory.” He reasoned that the patterns of relating between family members are transmitted from generation to generations. Once a person knows how toxicity develops in a family, they can repair the family line for future descendants.

 

Suggested Reading

Charles King, “The Ancient Roman Afterlife.”

Harriet Flower, “The Dancing Lares and the Serpent in the Garden.”

Christine Valters Paintner, “The Love of Thousands.”