appear to be part of the ancient reality, even if we cannot find any convincing
explanation. It is quite likely that any personally cherished object could be used as
an offering.
On the other hand, a lamp disk with an isolated figure of a god might indeed
have reminded the ancient viewer of all the statues he was familiar with in daily life,
be it in temples, in household shrines, or on coins (P. Stewart 2003: 201–7). For
the early empire we have to take into account Augustus’ deliberate use of mass media
like lamps for promoting his political and religious ideas (Alföldi 1973; Leibundgut
1977: 193 – 6; Zanker 1987: 88 –90, 264 –79). This is the case, in the first place,
with lamps representing the Lares Augusti or Victoria with an inscribed shield, but
cornucopias, capricorns, and laurel fall into the same category.Money-boxes
Proof, however, that a deliberate choice of religious subjects was made, when
thought suitable, is demonstrated by one specific category of objects for daily use:
terracotta money-boxes. Apart from a specimen of the later first centuryad with Victoria
and inscribed New Year’s wishes – obviously used as a strena(New Year’s gift) –
the bulk of the evidence is to be dated to aroundad 200 and resembles in shape
the mold-made lamps or, more often, a kind of beehive (Graeven 1901: 178 – 87;
D. Robinson 1924; Fabbricotti 1967/8: 117, figs. 856 – 81, pl. LXIII; Reeder
Williams 1984: no. 96). On the front there is decoration in relief: in most cases either
Mercury or Fortuna standing within an aedicula, thus resembling a cult image.
According to the inscriptions the money-boxes were made by lamp-makers, who had
a wide repertoire of subjects at their disposal (Bailey 1980: 90). However, for the
decoration of money-boxes they explicitly chose the two gods most responsible for
wealth and welfare, a function most welcome in connection with the saving of money
(fig. 14.4).Artistic Evidence for the Domestic Cult
We have been moving around within a Roman house, have looked at the painted
walls and the mosaic floors, have been admiring the garden sculpture and the art
collection of the dominus, and have been drinking out of silver cups teaching us
mythology, while some dim light was shed by relief-decorated lamps; but so far we
have left aside one kind of straightforward evidence for domestic religion, namely
the household gods and their shrines. For a first impression we can again go back
to Petronius. When Encolpius and Ascyltos entered Trimalchio’s house, they “saw
a large cupboard containing silver Lares and a marble image of Venus” (Petronius
29.8). Later on, after a few courses, the statuettes of the Lares – certainly the ones
mentioned before – were put on the table and a bowl of wine was carried round,
followed by the blessing dii propitii (“May the gods be gracious unto us!”)
(Petronius 60.8–9). While this last scene probably does not correspond to daily
practice – other authors speak of the daily sacrifice to be performed near the fireplaceReligion in the House 197ACTC14 26/04/2007 09:38 AM Page 197