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'''January''' was named after Janus, a sky-god who was ancient even at the time of Rome's founding. Ovid quoted Janus as saying "The ancients called me chaos, for a being from of old am I." After describing the world's creation, he again quoted Janus: "It was then that I, till that time a mere ball, a shapeless lump, assumed the face and members of a god." Numa, Rome's second king, honored Janus by founding a temple for him.

# January is named after the Roman god, Janus.

 

Janus is shown as having two faces. To some this sybolizes looking back on the old year and forward to the new year. He is the god of the doorways and gates. He is the patron of beginnings and endings.

 

By 153 BC, the Romans had moved the new year from the first of March to the first of January. That was when their civil year began and their newly elected consuls assumed office. It was on that day in 390 BC that Rome was captured by the Gauls.

 

January followed the winter solstice, after which the days began to lengthen. The break from the farmer's labor that had begun in December, was continued during this month.

 

[[Category:Months]]

[[Category:Months]]