Lar, Help Us!

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Announcer: This is a Getty Podcast.

Host: Do you ever have trouble getting going in the morning? Well today we're getting ready with a pocket-sized Roman demigod called a Lar. [Alarm bell rings]

[Theme music begins]

Welcome to If Objects Could Talk, a podcast where art and artifacts that get to leave the museum vault and tell their side of the story. Thanks for joining us as we bring objects into the light!

[Theme music ends]

How do you like to start your day? You probably get up, get dressed, and have a little breakfast. Maybe you pack up your backpack [bag zips] and get on the road! [car drives off]

[Mystical music begins]

Well in ancient Rome, mornings included another important step—praying to a small deity or god, called a Lar. Lares were household gods responsible for keeping a family safe. Families would place their Lar statuettes in small home shrines and gather there each day to pray for protection.

Today’s guest is one such Lar. He is a little bronze man with intricate details, made over two thousand years ago. Don’t let his size fool you—he’s pretty powerful when he needs to be!

Lar: [Clanging] Uh, just a moment I can't seem to find my [banging] ...oh where is it?! [More clanging and banging]

Oh [tapping a microphone] are we on?

No warning or anything, we just get straight to it? Fine, fine, I don't mind the element of surprise.

[Voices yell “surprise!”]

You’ve got to be prepared for anything when your job is protecting a family generation after generation. Ok, well was your job...I’ve been retired for some time now, but it's important for you to know that, one: I was a pretty big deal in my heyday. And two: I am still tired from watching over the Julius Family—no, not that Julius.

[Cheering, voice says “Hail Caesar”.]

Totally unrelated. Right. I’d like to get the particulars out of the way first so I can get to the good stuff. I am about two thousand years old and I come from the Roman Empire.

[Slow ambient music begins]

I’m a little over five inches tall, about the length of a candy bar you would find in a mercatus. Oh, I’m sorry, I think you all might call it a “grocery store?”

I am made of bronze. My arms are outstretched as if I am about to receive a hug from a grateful family member! In my right hand I carry a small offering bowl called a patera. In my left arm there should be a cornucopia, a symbol of prosperity and abundance, but it’s gone missing and I can’t find it anywhere!

[Voices say “oh no!”]

Originally, my eyes were inlaid with a contrasting material, like stone or glass, but they too have gone missing. I’m sensing a pattern here. Where is my cornucopia and where are my eyeballs? [Suspenseful music, two dropped balls bounce and roll]

Anyway, should we discuss fashion?

[Slow ambient music begins]

Of course, I do think what I’m wearing is rather timeless and says that I’m a minor god on the go! On my head I have a wreath tied loosely and the ribbons fall gracefully over my shoulders. I’ve got on a short, belted tunic with incredible folds, a cloak draped over one shoulder and secured in my belt, and open-toed boots.

My tunic and cloak make me feel like me. I'm sure you can relate, right?

What’s your favorite thing to wear? What makes you feel most like you? Can you describe it or draw it out for me? While I do love to check out what the new fashion trends are, I always go back to my tunic and cloak. Besides, I couldn’t pull off a bucket hat if I tried. [Sad trombone]

Now, now, I won’t cry. I must soldier on! Enough about fashion—let’s discuss my work: protecting my family. [Triumphant trumpet]

I lived in the home of a wealthy land owner.

[Peaceful music beings]

I am not really sure what Mr. Julius did outside of that, but he was certainly always busy with the land, the home, and with his twin 10-year-old boys, Adrianus and Atticus. [Children laughter]

Our home was outside of the city of Rome and my little world was the Lararium, or shrine, near the kitchen.

I hear home shrines or alters to gods, goddesses, and ancestors are still common and are used as sites of daily worship or for quiet meditation. Maybe you have one in your house or have seen one at a friend’s? [Quiet bell chimes]

Well, every morning, the father would lead a short prayer for the family at my Lararium before everyone went about their day. The prayer would express gratitude to me for keeping the family going and they would present me with a little food from breakfast and sweet incense. Most nights I would even join the family for dinner; [sounds of dining begin] I'd sit right on the table. Even when friends or business acquaintances would come over to dine, I was always the most delightful and well-dressed guest!

At the end of their morning ritual they'd ask me to watch over them as they went about their day. “Lar help us!” is how they would end their prayer and I really would try, but with two of the most mischievous twin boys ever, [children laughter] I had more than my fair share of work cut out for me. [Sounds of things tumbling, breaking glass]

[Slow music begins.]

Like some boys of means, Adrianus and Atticus had private tutors who taught subjects like mathematics, poetry, history, and literature. They would wake up in the morning, remove their long night tunics and put on their shorter tunics for the day. They would brush their teeth with frayed sticks and a toothpaste made of finely powdered eggshells. [chickens clucking, rooster crows] They would gather for their prayers to me with the rest of the family and then grab something to eat before it was time for their daily lessons.

These often included field trips to sacred sites or the marketplace.

[Marketplace sounds]

But the twins had a knack for slipping away, making the tutors’ jobs difficult—and mine, too! [Laughter, feet running]

Sure, it was my duty to look after them, but why did they have to make it harder by running off!

[Upbeat music begins]

You see, Adrianus and Atticus preferred the school of life to math lessons and would often spend their day chasing hares, [child says “I got it!”] climbing trees, and daydreaming about sailing around the world.

One afternoon, the boys were sitting in a tree enjoying a fine spring breeze, when they heard a booming voice down below. [deep mumbling]

It was their father! He was out for a walk with a neighbor and if he looked up he was sure to see them! They had been caught skipping lessons once before and certainly didn’t want to get caught again.

Atticus closed his eyes and called out to yours truly: [whispers] “Lar help us!”

[Exciting music begins]

Well I immediately sprang into action, leaping from my tidy Laraium, but I tripped and fell! [Metal object falling on hard surface]

Lucky for me that I am made of bronze, a strong and forever fashionable metal! [Metal ting]

Now, you’re probably thinking if I am a statue from the Roman Empire, shouldn’t I be made of marble? Common misconception! There were as many bronze sculptures as marble sculptures back then!

[Voices say, “Oh!”]

But, tragically, many bronze sculptures were melted down and re-purposed—an issue that persists today! [Gasps, followed by suspenseful music] I wonder if that's what happened to my tiny cornucopia? Could a tiny bronze thief be on the loose?!

I’m sorry, I’m getting distracted again. Where was I? Oh yes, I was running!

[Excited music begins]

I found Adrianus and Atticus just as their father was dangerously close to looking up to admire the tree’s fruit. I knew I needed a quick distraction and a way to complicate their father’s journey home. I began to call his name softly [distant voice calls, “hello, neighbor!] and then louder [voice repeats “hello neighbor!”] and louder. [Chorus of voices saying “Julius” and “Hello neighbor!”]

He looked all around and finally walked towards the road, [footsteps] just certain another neighbor was calling out to him. With their father’s back to the tree, Adrianus quickly climbed down and Atticus followed. Then I began to rustle the grass in front of their father, so that he would look down.

When he did, Adrianus and Atticus ran! [fast footsteps]

[Peaceful music begins]

The boys made it home and immediately lit incense at my feet in thanks, which I appreciated. When their father came home and saw the boys at my altar, he simply admired how dedicated they were to tradition and to home. [Laughs] Little did he know!

Well, those boys are lucky that although I am but a small home-based deity, my power and protection extended within the boundaries of the land their father owned. If they'd been any further out they would have to pray to the sea and the sky! So like I said, I was a pretty big deal!

[Door opens, footsteps, something is set down]

Oh, are these flowers for me?

Host: Yes.

Lar: They look just like the garlands of flowers I used to get for Compitalia, the annual festival of the Lares! I can’t wait to decorate the museum vault with these. The next time you hear from me, I’ll tell you what happened at my first Compitalia.

Host: I hope you enjoyed learning about Lares and daily routines in Ancient Rome. Join us next week when a water jug shares some water cooler gossip.

To see photographs of the statuette and learn more, visit our website at Getty dot edu slash podcasts.

This episode was written by Tocarra Elise and produced by Zoe Goldman. Timmy Morgan voiced the Lar. Theme music, mixing and sound design by Alexandra Kalinowski. Christopher Sprinkle is executive producer.

Special thanks to curators Ken Lapatin, Judith Barr, and Hana Sugioka.

Catch you next time!