Janus

In this article, Thea talks about the patron god of January, Janus.

Janus: The god of beginnings

By: Thea Schreiber

Welcome to 2026! The new year has begun, starting as it always does with January, but do you know about the patron god of January? Janus, for whom the month is obviously named, was the Roman god of doorways, gates, transitions, duality, time, ends and beginnings.

Bust of Janus from Oklahoma Magazine

While not as great or mighty as the Olympian gods such as Jupiter, Janus still held great importance to the Romans. According to Britannica, Janus was the two-headed animistic spirit of doorways and archways. Animism is the belief that all things, whether they be nature, objects, or even the weather, have a soul. In Rome there were many Jani, which were ceremonial archways used for auspicious entrances and exits, such as the departure of the Roman army. Whether agricultural or calendrical, the first day and month of the year were sacred to him and the month of January was named after him. Just from these facts, it is apparent that Janus was important and this just the beginning.

While many see Roman mythology as a copy of Greek mythology, due to Greek mythology having a large influence on the Roman religion, this is not entirely true-- as they have many differences. According to the World Encyclopedia, one of the biggest differences between Greek and Roman mythology was rituals. The Romans believed that rituals were important because, if performed properly, the individual could be rewarded and, if not, they could be punished. In religious rituals, Janus was the one first invoked, even before Jupiter, which shows his importance.

Coin with Janus from Britannica

Janus and Bellona from World History Encyclopedia

While many of the Roman gods have Greek counterparts, Janus is an entirely Roman god with no Greek counterpart. In fact, Janus is one of the oldest Roman deities and was sometimes called the “God of Gods.” To the Romans, Janus was the god of beginnings, ends, entrances, and departures. He had two faces, one bearded, one clean shaven, looking forward to the future and backward to the past. Janus’s symbols were a virga (a type of staff) and keys. There are two major myths concerning the origins of Janus, both even suggesting that he may have been a real person.

In the first story, he ruled alongside an early Roman king named Camesus in Thessaly. Janus would be exiled and he, his wife (Camasene, Camise, or Camasnea, take your pick), and his children, one of which was Tiberinus, who would become the God of the River Tiber, traveled to Rome and built a city on the west bank named Janiculum. He would rule peacefully for many years, even receiving Saturn when he was driven from Greece, and was deified upon his death.

In the second myth, Janus was present at the time of Romulus. While Rome was under attack by Titus and his forces scaling the walls of the city, Janus launched a jet of hot water which forced the enemy to retreat. Romulus, supposedly established a cult honoring Janus and the doors of the Temple of Janus were always left open so Janus could help the Romans during times of war.

There were five shrines to honor Janus in Rome, all by river crossings or watercourses, but there was one shrine that held a special importance. The special shrine was by an entrance to the Forum on a busy commercial street known as the Argiletum. The shrine had two bronze doors facing east and west. Tradition stated that, during times of war, the doors would be open and closed during times of peace, but because the Romans were glory addicts and always at war, the doors were open more often than not. A special ritual was done when the Roman army went to war that included going through the doors in a specific way. If this was not done correctly, then they would not be blessed by Janus and could result in the army being defeated.

More coins with Janus on them from NGC

Janus represents all new beginnings, including this new year. While you might not have two heads like Janus, you can still look back to the past and onward to the future. Welcome back to school.

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