Janus, Looking Ahead and Behind

I realize that a couple of Janus threads have already been posted this week in honor of the new year, but as I read them, it occurred to me that it might be instructive to post a chronological synopsis of the god's appearance on Roman coinage. This enigmatic deity derives his name from ianua, meaning the outer door of a house. Our word janitor comes from the same root, a word that originally meant doorman or doorkeeper and evolved to denote custodianship.

By 225 BC, the cult of Janus was apparently important enough for the god to be selected as the obverse design on the hefty aes grave asses. Here Janus is seen as a mature, bearded man looking ahead and behind...

Anonymous. Circa 225-217 BC. Æ Aes Grave As (61mm, 269.30 g, 12h). Rome mint. Head of Janus on a raised disk / Prow right; I (mark of value) above; all on a raised disk. Crawford 35/1; ICC 75; Sydenham 72; RBW 84-5; HN Italy 337 CNG Coin Shop
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Inflation inevitably took its toll and the as gradually shrunk. This is my example from ca. 215-212 BC, still a sizeable chunk of bronze...

Roman Republic AE As. Anonymous. Rome, c. 215-212 BC. AE As, 70.71g (38mm, 12h). Bearded Janus head / Prow of ship right; above, mark of value (I).

Pedigree: Ex Eberhard Link Collection. Ex Münz Zentrum 88, Cologne 1997, lot 353. Peus Nachfl. 322, Frankfurt am Main 1988, lot 42. Kurpfälzische Münzhandlung 19, Mannheim 1980, lot 99. Ex Giessener Münzhandlung 15, Munich 1979, lot 105.
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The denomination shrank somewhat more over the ensuing years, but it would become the most circulated bronze coin during the Roman Republic. The majority of these later issues are heavily worn and crusty. Here is an example I sold a few years ago to another CT member...

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M. ATILI SARAN, c. 148 BC / AE As, 31mm, 23.95g.
Obv.: Laureate bust of Janus / Rev.: ROMA|I|M.ATILI, prow r.
Ref.: Crawford 214/2a / Ex - RBW, Ex - Hendin
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Collecting Caveat. Because of the typically worn condition of these coins and their popularity, they are irresistible to toolers. In particular, look for sharp lines in the prow that don't match the obverse wear. Here is an example I fished out of Harlan Berk's junk box in Baltimore a few years back...

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Around the time of the introduction of the the as, a double-faced deity also appeared on the silver didrachm, or quadrigatus denomination. This god was beardless, and although he is most often identified as Janus, Sydenham suggests him to be Fontus, the son of Janus (The Coinage of the Roman Republic); while Crawford suggests the Dioscuri (Roman Republican Coinage).

Anonymous. Circa 225-214 BC. AR Didrachm – Quadrigatus (24mm, 5.78 g, 7h). Uncertain mint. Laureate head of Janus; curved truncation / Jupiter, hurling thunderbolt with right hand and holding scepter in left, in quadriga right driven by Victory; ROMA incuse on raised tablet in exergue. Crawford 28/3; Sydenham 64; Kestner 88-90, 92-5; BMCRR Romano-Campanian 78-88; RSC 23. CNG Coin Shop
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Despite the ubiquity of Janus on Roman Republic asses, he appears only once on the denarii, issued by moneyer M. Furius Philus, dated to 120 BC...

M. Furius L.f. Philus. 120 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.94 g, 12h). Rome mint. M FOVRI L F, laureate head of Janus / Roma standing left, holding wreath and scepter; to left, trophy of Gallic arms flanked by a carnyx and shield on each side; star above; ROMA upwards to right, (PHI)LI in exergue. Crawford 281/1; Sydenham 529; CNG Coin Shop
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Janus himself now disappears from Roman coinage until the reign of Hadrian, but a half-century earlier, Nero issued a series of gold, orichalcum, and copper coins depicting the curious structure known as the Ianus geminus, which stood in the Forum. It was a free-standing, double gateway used for ceremonial purposes. Closing the doors of the Iannus geminus came to symbolize peace throughout the empire. In AD 65, Nero inaugurated his series of coins marking the end of hostilities with Parthia. The inscription on this issue announces “the doors of Janus have been closed after peace has been procured for the Roman People on the land and on the sea." The doors of the temple probably remained closed for less than a year, being opened again with the onset of strife in Judaea in 66.

Nero. AD 54-68. Æ Sestertius (35mm, 28.45 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck circa AD 65. NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head right, globe at point of neck / PΛCE P R TERRΛ MΛRIQ PΛRTΛ IΛNVM CLVSIT, S C across field, Temple of Janus with latticed windows to left and garland hung across closed double doors to the right. RIC I 438; WCN 419; Lyon 109; BMCRE 319; BN 73.
CNG Coin Shop
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The figure of Janus appears on an aureus of Hadrian in AD 121, celebrating the beginning of a new "Golden Age" - the Saeculum Aureum. Five years later he appears on an as commemorating Hadrian's decennalia...

Hadrian. AD 117-138. AV Aureus (18mm, 7.29 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 119-125. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P COS III, Janus, standing facing, naked to waist, fold of drapery over left arm, holding scepter in right hand. RIC II 62; Strack 91; Calicó 1311a (this coin, illustrated); BMCRE 100 CNG Triton XIV: 707

Hadrian. AD 117-138. Æ As (25.5mm, 11.33 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 124-128. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Janus standing facing, looking in three directions, holding scepter and resting hand on hip. RIC II 662. CNG 382:404
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Similar bronze types were struck in sestertius and as denominations by Antoninus Pius in AD 140, part of a series of new types leading up to the 900th anniversary of the City of Rome in AD 147. And 50 years later we find Janus on a sestertius of Commodus, standing on a low plinth within an arched shrine. This is very likely a representation of the actual statue in the city of Rome that would have been familiar to its citizens. His successor Pertinax also issued IANO CONSERVAT denarii...

Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ Sestertius (27mm, 18.42 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 186. Laureate head right / Distyle shrine, containing Janus standing facing, holding sceptre. RIC III 460; MIR 18, 702-6/30; Banti 278. CNG 372:457

PERTINAX. 193 AD. AR Denarius (3.06 gm). IMP CAES P HELV PERTIN AVG, laureate head right / IANO CO-NSERVAT, Janus standing facing, holding sceptre in right hand. RIC IV 3; BMCRE 2; RSC 17. CNG Coin Shop
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The last two appearances of the god in his numismatic career occur on a denarius of Geta and aureus of Gallienus...

GETA. 209-211 AD. AR Denarius (18mm, 2.73 gm, 7h). Struck 211 AD. P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate and bearded head right / TR P II-I COS II P P, Janus standing facing, holding spear and thunderbolt. RIC IV 79; BMCRE 13; RSC 197. CNG Coin Shop

GALLIENUS, 253-268. Heavy "Fest-aureus", 260. AV 5.15 g. IMP GALLIENVS PIVS FEL AVG Draped and cuirassed bust r. with crested helmet. Rev. IANO PATRI Janus in himation, nude to waist, standing facing, holding transversal sceptre in his l. hand, patera in his r. hand. RIC 134. New York Sale 3:758​

So there you have it. Go collect them all, but you'll be hard-pressed to find the aurei. If I've missed anything, by all means correct me!

 

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What an entertaining and educational thread, @John Anthony! I have but a single Janus coin. I hope you all aren't tired of looking at it.


Anonymous, Second Punic War, 218-202 BC.
Roman Republican Æ as, 27.8 g, 31.1 mm, 1 h.
Uncertain mint south of Rome (Campania?).
Obv: Laureate head of bearded Janus, I above.
Rev: Prow of galley, right; I above, ROMA below.
Refs: Group D1, McCabe, Andrew. "The Anonymous Struck Bronze Coinage of the Roman Republic" in Essays in honour of Roberto Russo / ed. by Peter G. van Alfen and Richard B. Witschonke. - Zürich ; London : Numismatica Ars Classica NAC, 2013, pp. 141-144.

 

Thanks for laying everything out so thoroughly, @John Anthony. Since I just posted my own Janus coins the other day in one of the other threads (you can see them at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/happy-new-year-janus.391401/#post-8143705), I won't do so again. But can someone please explain for me how to reconcile Janus's status as the deity symbolizing the new year, with the fact that in ancient Rome -- and up until not so many hundreds of years ago in certain contexts -- the first month of the year was unquestionably March?

 

Nice thread. Really should pick up a Janus coin. My collection starts with Caesar and Antony though, no "Republican" coins before the second Triumvirate.

 

Not ancient, but I also have this medal of Louis XV with a statue of Janus. I nothing about this medal - I wonder if it commemorates the famous Temple of Janus ruins at Autun? Maybe @Cucumbor would know...

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..kool coins, write up & info JAZ.....i was looking today at temple of Janus Neros...

 

I believe that it's considered a jeton or token rather than a medal per se. It commemorates the engagement of Louis XV and the Infanta of Spain and was apparently minted in 1722. See http://www.comptoir-des-monnaies.co...nfante-despagne-jeton-feuardent-7236-p-67588?. See also the examples at https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/nu..._de_lille_louis_xv_token/690820/Default.aspx; http://www.comptoir-des-monnaies.co...e-louis-xv-token-ef4045-p-405987?language=en; and https://www.cgbfr.com/lille-fiancai...e-despagne-etats-de-lille-b,fjt_383933,a.html.

 

Very interesting, thanks !

There is a curious medallion of Commodus, probably a New Year medallion of 187 AD, with Janus/Commodus. The reverse is "Tellus stabilita"...


Not my coin, but I wish it were...

Janiform heads were depicted on archaic and classical Greek coins of the late 6th - 5th c. BC, especially in Lampsakos and Tenedos. But the Greek frequently represented 2 different faces : a young / mature man, or woman / man. I have a janiform Greek coin of that sort but it is a fake :

too bad

They also made janiform vases in Athens in the early 5th c. with black male / white female. I suppose they wanted to associate what was the most opposed.

 

Around 200 BC the cast Aes Grave was replaced with a struck As , since then it lost a considerable weight loss

 

JANUS


RR M Furius LF Philus AR Denarius 119 BCE Janus Trophy Carnyx Cr 281-1 Sear 156


DOUBLE JANUS


RR M Furius ERROR DOUBLE-STRIKE AR Den119 BC Janus Trophy Carnyx S 156 Cr 281-1

 

As mentioned, the son of...
A wordplay on the moneyer obviously.

 

I love a girl who does my homework for me! I should have looked it up, but just hadn't gotten to it yet.

 

My favorite Janus type coin, and my tribute to the month of January.

Eastern Celts, Serbia, third century BC
tetradrachm, Janus type

12.73 grams

 

Man, that coin is the s.h.i.t.

 

I'm a little late to this party. While i don't generally collect Roman Republican coins, I consider it essential to have a few coins in my collection to represent the period. Here's my Janus:

Denomination: Bronze As
Mint: Rome
Obverse: Laureate head of Janus
Reverse: Prow of galley right; I above, ROMA in exergue.
Reference: Crawford 56/2; Sydenham 143
Ex-Eucharius Collection

At some point I'll be in the market for a hefty Aes grave as.

Thank you @John Anthony for the informative post!

 

The early Roman Republic had a ten month year, starting in March and ending in December. The 12 month year was probably introduced under Etruscan rule in the sixth century B.C.
By 153 B.C., if not earlier , the beginning of the civil year was transferred to January, when the newly elected magistrates entered office.

Full details of this and much more besides can be found in a book I highly recommend - "Festivals and Ceremonies of the Roman Republic" by H.H. Scullard.

My best Janus


Anonymous Cast Æ As. Rome, circa 225-217 BC. Libral standard. Laureate head of bearded Janus; horizontal I (mark of value) below; all on a raised disk / Prow of galley right; I (mark of value) above; all on a raised disk.
Crawford 35/1; HN Italy 337; ICC 74. 274.13g, 64mm, 12h.

 

I managed to hunt down and snag a couple of the rare Imperial issues featuring Janus (and a less scarce RR denarius). The first is an as of Hadrian. On this example, the two faces of Janus are worn down and a bit encrusted, but the coin is so scarce, I figured it would be good to snag it while I can...



There's a "better" example on vcoins, but even so, the two faces of Janus aren't well-represented. They look more like big elf ears...



Next up the Geta denarius with Janus reverse. This rendition of the god's head is much better, and it's an exceedingly rare coin. The first I've ever come across...



Finally, I'd like to publish a list of all Roman Janus/Fons/Janiform types, so I've been hunting down coins that I missed in my first post. Here's a denarius of C. Fonteius, 114-113 BC (which type @Ignoramus Maximus posted earlier). Janiform bust and Galley - does it get any more Roman than that? And dark gray is my favorite color of toned silver...

 

10-As Version

RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius -Quadrigatus - Didrachm 225-215 BCE Incuse Roma Janus Jupiter Craw 28-3 Sear 31


5-As Version

RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Crawford 29-4 Sear 35

 

Not actually Janus, but the Janiform heads of the Dioscuri:

Roman Republic, C. Fonteius, AR Denarius, 114-113 BCE. Obv. Laureate, Janiform head of the Dioscuri, control mark N under left chin [mark of value * (= 16) under right chin is worn off], one dot beneath head / Rev. Galley left with three rowers, gubernator (pilot) at stern, rudder beneath stern, apotropaic eye on side, three-pronged ram with wolf’s head above extending from prow, banners/streamers extending from stern, C • FONT above (N and T in monogram), ROMA below. Crawford 290/1, RSC I Fonteia 1 (ill.), Sear RCV I 167 (ill.), Sydenham 555. 20 mm., 3.90 g. Ex: Auctiones GmbH, eAuction 67, Lot 55, 15 March 2020; Ex: CNG Auction May 2012, Lot 293; Ex: Bruce R. Brace Collection.*



* According to H.A. Seaby in RSC I (at p. 48), the Janiform head on the obverse relates to the origins of the Fonteia gens -- which claimed as its founder Fons or Fontus, supposedly the son of Janus -- and the galley on the reverse relates to the naval exploits of the moneyer’s ancestor P. Fonteius Capito, who was praetor in Sardinia in 169 BCE. Crawford disagrees. (See Vol. I at p. 305.) He states that there is no good evidence for the existence of Fontus, and that the Janiform head should instead be regarded as that of the Dioscuri, because the gens Fonteia came from Tusculum, the chief cult-center of the Dioscuri in Latium. Crawford also states that the reverse is “doubtless” an allusion to the transmarine origin of Telegonus (the son of Ulysses and Circe), who was the legendary founder of Tusculum. Sear agrees with Crawford.

 

Thank you kindly for that information! I've updated my post to call it "Janiform Bust."