Augustus and the Altar of the Lares: Shrines of the Neighborhood

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Compitalia festival and the Lares Augusti, the household gods that Augustus turned into imperial propaganda. They discuss how the emperor revived ancient crossroads cults, appointed neighborhood magistrates (vicomagistri), and used these shrines to bind the people of Rome to his new order. The conversation covers the political significance of the Lares Compitales, the role of freedmen in the cult, and the archaeological remains found at the Palatine and in the Subura. Lucas explains how Augustus cleverly merged traditional Roman religion with loyalty to the princeps, creating a network of altars that made every street a stage for imperial ideology. The episode also touches on the later development of the Lares Augusti and their connection to the imperial house. A fascinating look at how religion and politics fused at the grassroots level in Augustan Rome. #Augustus #LaresAugusti #Compitalia #RomanReligion #Vicomagistri #CrossroadsCult #ImperialCult #RomanNeighborhoods #PalatineHill #Subura #Freedmen #Altars #RomanReligion #PaxRomana #Princeps #RomanHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo