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<p>[QUOTE="GinoLR, post: 8474234, member: 128351"]The temple of Janus was one of the oldest temples of Rome. Several literary testimonies indicate its location with great precision: in the street known as the Argiletum just where it enters the Roman Forum, which means it was close to the Curia and the Basilica Aemilia. Late Roman traditions said it was first built early in the royal period, some said under Numa Pompilius or even Romulus! It is obvious that during the centuries of its existence it has been restored, refurbished or even entirely rebuilt but, curiously, none of these probable restorations is documented by any text. </p><p>The rite consisting in opening or closing its doors originated in the royal period, was revived by Augustus and performed by later emperors, notably Nero, and for the last time by Gordian III as far as we know. This temple seems to have been still standing in the 5th or even 6th c. AD for there is a detailed description of it by Procopius: "<i>the temple is entirely of bronze and was erected in the form of a square, but it is only large enough to cover the statue of Janus ... of bronze and not less than five cubits high</i>".</p><p>The only images of this temple we know are the ones visible on Nero coinage and on Commodus aurei and sestertii which display a different simplified view, an arched distyle shrine with the statue of Janus standing (not my coins !): [ATTACH=full]1500961[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The most detailed view is the one on the reverses of Nero's sestertii, showing the front with the gates closed and one of the side walls. There is no triangular pediment, which makes this temple a bit atypical. In an old article by Valentine Müller (American Journal of Archaeology 47.4, 1943, p.438), she found a parallel in an Etruscan stone urn of the 4th c. BC which looks very much like a model of a similar temple (but with a pediment):</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1500962[/ATTACH] </p><p>She thinks that Rome's Janus temple depicted on Nero coins should have been an Etruscan style temple that could date back to the 4th c. BC.</p><p><br /></p><p>Today this temple is a mystery for archaeologists. Texts tell us its precise location, and this sector has been investigated and excavated a number of times, every stone and brick fragment has been analysed and discussed. But no trace of anything, even an emptied foundation ditch, has never been observed that could be related to the famous Temple of Janus which was right there, we know it! It is very frustrating... </p><p><br /></p><p>A last thing : my temple of Janus. It is not a sestertius but just an as. I remember I spent two hours bargaining and discussing the price with a Tunisian dealer near Carthage. The coin was uncleaned yet but the guy swore on his grandmother's life it was surely very nice under that crust. The discussion was lasting and never ending, and my girlfriend who was with me (and who is not at all interested in Roman coins) was bored, but heroically suffered in silence, such is the power of love. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1500964[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="GinoLR, post: 8474234, member: 128351"]The temple of Janus was one of the oldest temples of Rome. Several literary testimonies indicate its location with great precision: in the street known as the Argiletum just where it enters the Roman Forum, which means it was close to the Curia and the Basilica Aemilia. Late Roman traditions said it was first built early in the royal period, some said under Numa Pompilius or even Romulus! It is obvious that during the centuries of its existence it has been restored, refurbished or even entirely rebuilt but, curiously, none of these probable restorations is documented by any text. The rite consisting in opening or closing its doors originated in the royal period, was revived by Augustus and performed by later emperors, notably Nero, and for the last time by Gordian III as far as we know. This temple seems to have been still standing in the 5th or even 6th c. AD for there is a detailed description of it by Procopius: "[I]the temple is entirely of bronze and was erected in the form of a square, but it is only large enough to cover the statue of Janus ... of bronze and not less than five cubits high[/I]". The only images of this temple we know are the ones visible on Nero coinage and on Commodus aurei and sestertii which display a different simplified view, an arched distyle shrine with the statue of Janus standing (not my coins !): [ATTACH=full]1500961[/ATTACH] The most detailed view is the one on the reverses of Nero's sestertii, showing the front with the gates closed and one of the side walls. There is no triangular pediment, which makes this temple a bit atypical. In an old article by Valentine Müller (American Journal of Archaeology 47.4, 1943, p.438), she found a parallel in an Etruscan stone urn of the 4th c. BC which looks very much like a model of a similar temple (but with a pediment): [ATTACH=full]1500962[/ATTACH] She thinks that Rome's Janus temple depicted on Nero coins should have been an Etruscan style temple that could date back to the 4th c. BC. Today this temple is a mystery for archaeologists. Texts tell us its precise location, and this sector has been investigated and excavated a number of times, every stone and brick fragment has been analysed and discussed. But no trace of anything, even an emptied foundation ditch, has never been observed that could be related to the famous Temple of Janus which was right there, we know it! It is very frustrating... A last thing : my temple of Janus. It is not a sestertius but just an as. I remember I spent two hours bargaining and discussing the price with a Tunisian dealer near Carthage. The coin was uncleaned yet but the guy swore on his grandmother's life it was surely very nice under that crust. The discussion was lasting and never ending, and my girlfriend who was with me (and who is not at all interested in Roman coins) was bored, but heroically suffered in silence, such is the power of love. [ATTACH=full]1500964[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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