The lares and penates were both located in the atrium, or communal family dining room, in front of the hearth. This was where the simple wooden statues were placed and specially cared for by the lady of the house. Cato recommends that if nothing else the domestic hearth should be meticulously clean and should be swept every night.
The lares took part in every particular household. At dinner the lares received an offering of food and drink. A newly wed bride would put an offering of a coin into the hearth, in honor of the lares. If one entered a house an offering would be made to the lares. When a young man took the toga virilis, the bulla, or locket with which was his since childhood would be offered to the lares. Slaves who were granted freedom also dedicated their chains to the lares. Everyone worshipped the lares and people often chose their lares in correspondence to own character and fancies.
The lares were usually depicted as twin adolescent males, standing either side of a dog, the symbol of delity and vigilance. These items were made from wax in the country, and of stone, wood, or metal in town were used on solemn occasions. They had a rolled up toga, horns and were holding goblets.
The Roman home itself was a god; the walls, doors and threshold, the property makers surrounding the land on which the house was situated on, all were gods. All activities done in the house had religious significance. They had a variety of domestic gods and they worshipped them daily.
State Religion.
Roman religion never amounted to anything more than outward forms of worship. State religion was more or less public worshipping as opposed to in the home. Romans worshipped a variety of gods as in the home and they did this by praying and making sacrifices. However they were different and more specialized, for example, they believed that each deity looked after a certain aspect of their lives.