Manes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the band, see Manes (band). For the founder of Manichaeism, see Mani (prophet). For the Jatt tribe, see Manes (tribe).

Topics in Roman mythology
Important Gods:
Jupiter	Minerva
Mars	Mercury
Quirinus	Vulcan
Vesta	Ceres
Juno	Venus
Fortuna	Lares
Topics
Legendary History
Roman religion
The Flamens
Greek/Roman myth compared
Other minor Roman deities:
Penates	Larvae
Genius	Manes
Lemures	Terminus

In Roman mythology, the Manes were the souls of deceased loved ones. As minor spirits, they were similar to the Lares, Genii and Di Penates. They were honored during the Parentalia and Feralia in February.

The Manes were also called the Di Manes (Di meaning "Gods"), and Roman tombstones often included the letters D.M., which stood for dis manibus, or "dedicated to the Manes-gods". The word was also used as a metaphor to refer to the underworld.

Manes ("the spirits of the dead") derives from PIE *men-, "to think". Cognates include Ancient Greek menos ("life, strength") and Avestan mainyu ("spirit").