Gates of Janus

• The Gates of Janus were the doors to the Temple of Janus in the Forum Romanum in Rome.
• The doors were open in times of War and closed in times of Peace.

The Closing of the Gates of Janus

• Closing the Gates of Janus symbolised Peace, opening the Gates of Janus symbolised War. The doors were open in times of War and closed in times of Peace.
• This was a very rare event performed with a great fanfare and sometimes celebratory coins were issued.

Before Augustus (Emperor 27 BCE – 14 CE)

• Before Augustus the Gates of Janus were only closed only twice by:
  • Between 715-673 BCE by King Numa Pompilius
  • In 235 BCE by Titus Manlius Torquatus

Under the Roman Empire

• Augustus closed them three times:
  • In 29 BCE after the Death of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra and to commemorate the Peace following Battle of Actium in 31 BCE.
  • In 25 BCE after the initial defeat of the Cantabrians in the Cantabrian Wars.
  • In 13 BCE (approximately)

• They were subsequently closed once each:
  • In 66 CE by Nero after negotiating a Peace Treaty with Parthia that lasted for the next 50 years.
  • In 70 CE by Vespasian to proclaim Peace after the Year of the four Emperors.
• Each of the following Emperors probably also closed them once:
  • Trajan
  • Hadrian
  • Antoninus Pius