What are some facts about Janus?

Janus was a two-faced god of Roman mythology who kept the gate of Heaven. He was the god of beginnings and ends, and so of gates, doors, doorways and passages. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. The Romans named the month of January (Ianuarius) in his honor.

What is the god Janus known for?

Some scholars regard Janus as the god of all beginnings and believe that his association with doorways is derivative. He was invoked as the first of any gods in regular liturgies. The beginning of the day, month, and year, both calendrical and agricultural, were sacred to him.

What was unusual about Janus?

The Roman god Janus is unusual because he has two faces. This is because he was the god of doorways, gates and passages.

Why did Janus have two faces?

As a god of motion, Janus looks after passages, causes actions to start and presides over all beginnings. Since movement and change are interconnected, he has a double nature, symbolised in his two headed image.

Did Janus have a wife?

Camese, Jana, and Juturna were wives of Janus.

Why was the god Janus important to Romans?

In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of doors, gates, and transitions. According to Roman mythology, Janus was present at the beginning of the world. As the god of gates, Janus guarded the gates of heaven and held access to heaven and other gods.

Why is Janus named after January?

JANUARY. Named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future. In ancient Roman times, the gates of the temple of Janus were open in times of war and closed in times of peace.

Who Killed Janus?

That night, Janus confronts Purdy in the Faith Heritage Chapel; the two break into a fight that results in the chapel being set on fire, and Purdy accidentally kills Janus by throwing him into a fixture that pierces him through the chest.

What does Janus symbolize?

In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of doors, gates, and transitions. Janus represented the middle ground between both concrete and abstract dualities such as life/death, beginning/end, youth/adulthood, rural/urban, war/peace, and barbarism/civilization.

What is Janus the god of?

KidzSearch Safe Wikipedia for Kids. Janus was a two-faced god of Roman mythology who kept the gate of Heaven. He was the god of beginnings and ends, and so of gates, doors, doorways and passages. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. The Romans named the month of January (Ianuarius) in his honor.

Who is janjanus in the Roman calendar?

Janus, who had no Greek equivalent, was worshiped beside the Forum in a small shrine with double doors at either end and originated either from a divine power that regulated the passage over running… It was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings. January replaced March as the first month of the Roman year no later than 153 bce .…

Is there a Janus temple in Rome?

Temples The temple of Janus is in Rome. Created by Numa Pompilius himself, it is entirely made of bronze. One of the seven hills of Rome, Janiculum, was named after Janus, due to his status as one of the most important Roman gods. Many other European religions have a figure like Janus, even though there is no Greek Janus.

What are the sacred days of Janus?

The beginning of the day, month, and year, both calendrical and agricultural, were sacred to him. The month of January is named for him, and his festival took place on January 9, the Agonium. There were several important temples erected to Janus, and it is assumed that there was also an early cult on the Janiculum,…