household gods of the Romans and other Latin peoples. In the narrow sense, they were gods of the penus (“household provision”), but by extension their protection reached the entire household. They are associated with other deities of the house, such as Vesta, and the name was sometimes used interchangeably with that of the Lares, any of various tutelary deities. The Penates are all or some specific group of deities with household connections, but their number and precise identity were a puzzle even to the ancients.

The Penates were worshiped privately as protectors of the individual household and also publicly as protectors of the Roman state. Each house had a shrine with images of them that were worshiped at the family meal and on special occasions. Offerings were of portions of the regular meal or of special cakes, wine, honey, incense, and, more rarely, a blood sacrifice. The state as a whole worshiped the Penates Publici. This state cult occupied a significant role as a focal point of Roman patriotism and nationalism.