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Originally a god of the Sun, he was purely a Roman deity.
January is taken from his name.
Unlike the Chinese Door Guardians, the Men-Shen, Janus’s influence
reaches out over thresholds, harbours, departures and arrivals. His
influence was so extensive, the Romans attributed him with different
origins. The principal one said that he was born out of the Chaos that
existed before life, and the opposing forces which moulded him gave
him two faces to represent this. In that form Janus became a creator
god and one of the principal deities, even matching the influence of
Jupiter.
Janus is a god of firsts, and the first god. The first festival of the
year was in his honour and he was the inventor of many things.
Janus is chiefly remembered for his guardianship of doorways and gateways.
His opposing faces watch both the back and front of houses and also
appear on Roman coins. His symbols are a key and staff, and the doors
of his temple in Rome were opened during war and closed when the city
was at peace.
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