Janus-Roman God of January

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, and, as such,the God of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually portrayed as a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past. The Romans dedicated the month of January to Janus. 

Janus symbolizes change and transitions such as the progression of past to future, of one condition to another, of one vision to another, and of one universe to another. This is why Janus was honored at the beginnings of the harvest and planting times, as well as marriages, births and other beginnings. He also represents the middle ground between barbarity and civilization, rural country and urban cities, and youth and adulthood.

In one of his temples, the hands of his statue were positioned to signify the number 355 (the number of days in a year), later 365, symbolically expressing his mastership over time. He presides over the concrete and abstract beginnings of the world, such as religion and the gods themselves, he too holds the access to Heaven and other gods: this is the reason why it is believed that men must invoke him first, regardless of the god they want to pray to or placate. He is the initiator of human life, of new historical ages, and financial enterprises: according to myth he was the first to mint coins and the as, first coin of the libral series, bears his effigy on one face.

Temples

Numa built the Ianus geminus, a passage ritually opened at times of war, and shut again when Roman arms rested. It formed a walled enclosure with gates at each end, situated between the old Roman Forum and that of Julius Caesar. 

In wartime the gates of the Janus were opened and it was within the temples that the outcome of the war would be predicted. The doors were closed only during peacetime, an extremely rare event. The function of the Ianus Geminus was supposed to be a sort of good omen: in time of peace it was said to close the wars within or to keep peace inside; in times of war it was said to be open to allow the return of the people on duty.

The gates were shut only once between the reign of Numa Pompilius (who reigned 715–673 BC) and Emperor Augustus who reigned until 14 AD.

Janus also had a temple on the Forum Olitorium constructed in 260 by C. Duilius for the naval victory of the Punic War and another one on his hill, the Janiculum.

Rites

Most often, practices in Janus’ name were conducted between March and October; the war season.

Although Janus had no flamen (priests), he was closely associated with the rex sacrorum who performed his sacrifices and took part in most of his rites: the rex was the first in the ordo sacerdotum hierarchy of priests.The flamen of Portunus performed the ritual greasing of the spear of the god Quirinus on August 17, day of the Portunalia, on the same date that the temple of Janus in the Forum Holitorium had been consecrated (by consul Caius Duilius in 260 BC). Portunus seems to be a god closely related to Janus, if with a specifically restricted area of competence, in that he presides over doorways and harbours and shares with Janus his two symbols, the key and the stick.

Beginning of the Year

The Winter solstice was thought to occur on December 25. January 1 was new year day: the day was consecrated to Janus since it was the first of the new year and of the month (kalends) of Janus.

It was during this time that devotees exchanged dates, figs and honey as a token of well wishing and made gifts of coins called strenae. Cakes made of spelt (far) and salt were offered to the god and burnt on the altar. Ovid states that in most ancient times there were no animal sacrifices and gods were propitiated with offerings of spelt and pure salt. 

Shortly afterwards, on January 9, on the feria of the Agonium of January the rex sacrorum offered the sacrifice of a ram to Janus.

History

In Roman mythology, Janus was a king of Latium (a region of central Italy), who had his palace on the Janiculum hill, on the western bank of the River Tiber. According to the Roman intellectual Macrobius, Janus was given divine honours on account of his own religious devotion, as he set a pious example for all his people.

Janus was proudly venerated as a uniquely Roman god, rather than one adopted from the Greek pantheon. The name Janus (Ianus in Latin, as the alphabet had no j) is etymologically related to ianua, the Latin word for door. Janus himself was the ianitor, or doorkeeper, of the heavens.

The cult statue of Janus depicted the god bearded with two heads. This meant that he could see forwards and backwards and inside and outside simultaneously without turning around. Janus held a staff in his right hand, in order to guide travellers along the correct route, and a key in his left to open gates.

The origins on Janus vary and unlike other Roman and Greek gods, Janus may have been a mortal who came from Thessaly and was welcomed into Latium by Camise. They got married, shared the kingdom and had many children together.

As the ruler of Latium, Janus presided the Golden age, introducing money, laws, and agriculture. When Camise died Janus became the sole ruler and peacefully ruled Latium for many years.

In the second myth he is present in Rome at the time when the city founder, Romulus, and his men kidnapped the women of Sabine, and the men of Sabine attacked Rome in retaliation. When they attempted to climb the Capitoline Hill, Janus launched a powerful jet spray of hot water, forcing them to retreat. As a result, Numa (the second king of Rome 715-673 BC) erected the Ianus geminus in Janus’ honor.