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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. Principally 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 confusion. In this 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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