Question:
What is the significance of the closing of the Temple of Janus in Roman history, and how often was it closed?
Answer:
The closing of the Temple of Janus was a custom among the Romans. Janus was the god of light in heaven, and some even considered him a sun god. His shrine consisted of two parallel arched gateways connected by side walls. According to tradition, King Numa Pompilius built the shrine and decreed that the gates should be closed only during times of peace. Between the reigns of Numa and Augustus, the gates were only closed once, in 235 B.C.
During his reign from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14, Augustus closed the temple three times. His first closing occurred in 29 B.C., following his victory over Antony. He later closed the temple again in 25 B.C. and in 5 B.C., the latter indicating that there was peace during the time when the Prince of Peace came into the world. This closing in 5 B.C. is also confirmed by “Little’s Cyclopedia of Classified Dates,” which states that “the temple is closed for the fifth time in Roman history because of universal peace.”
