The spirits of the dead were called the Manes in Roman religion. Also known as the Di Manes, they were chthonic beings associated with deceased ancestors and the collective presence of the dead. Romans could treat them as the souls of departed loved ones or as a broader group of divine dead dwelling below the earth.
The Manes were connected to domestic and family religion, but they were not identical to every household spirit. The Lares guarded places and households, the Penates watched over domestic provisions, and the Lemures were often portrayed as troublesome or restless dead. These categories sometimes overlapped in ancient discussions, which explains why Roman ghost terminology can be confusing.
The dead were honored during the Parentalia, a February festival devoted to family ancestors, and during the Feralia, its concluding public observance. Roman tomb inscriptions frequently began with D.M., an abbreviation of Dis Manibus, meaning “to the Manes.” That formula appeared for centuries, including on some Christian-era inscriptions, showing how deeply the phrase remained embedded in Roman funerary culture.