Manes

Roman religion

Also known as: Di Manes

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June 30, 2026

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In Roman religion, the Manes (often capitalized as Manes) refer to the deified spirits of the dead. This concept is closely tied to ancestor worship, also known as manism, which was a central part of Roman religious and social life. Romans honored these spirits with sacrifices at gravesites, believing they were venerated or appeased. The Di Manes were seen as collective powers of the dead, and reverence for ancestors was fundamental to Roman beliefs.123

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Roman religion
The earliest divinities
The Di Manes, collective powers (later “spirits”) of the dead, may mean “the good people,” an anxious euphemism like the Greek name of “the kindly ones” for the Furies. As a member of the family or clan, however, the dead man or woman would, more specifically, be…
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The Di Manes, collective powers (later “spirits”) of the dead, may mean “the good people,” an anxious euphemism like the Greek name of “the kindly ones” for the Furies. As a member of the family or clan, however, the dead man or woman would, more specifically, be…
Read More