Lares Compitales

The Lares Compitales were tutelary deities in Roman religion who presided over crossroads (compita) and the surrounding districts. Originally, Lares were gods of cultivated fields, worshipped at the boundaries where properties met. Later, they became associated with households and prosperity, often depicted as youthful figures holding a drinking horn and a cup.1

The Lares Compitales had a special annual festival called the Compitalia. The state also had its own Lares, known as Lares Praestites, who were the protecting guardians of the city and had a temple on the Via Sacra. These deities were an integral part of Roman religious life, representing protection and prosperity at both the household and community levels.1