History documentary about the mysterious Roman Gates of War at the Temple of Janus.
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At the very heart of Rome lay the infamous Gates of Janus, whose ritual opening heralded the outbreak of war and whose closing celebrated the return of peace. Legend tells that during Rome’s incredible rise to power they lay open for nearly 700 years from King Numa to Emperor Augustus with but one exception. These gates of war have long captured my imagination as a piece of history that seems plucked right out of some fantasy setting. Yet they were very much real. Or were they? Today let’s dive deeper into this fascinating structure and the mystery of its patron deity Janus.

The documentary begins with a discussion of the Roman God Janus; his origins, attributes; and religious practices. We then move on to talk about the various temples and shrines of Janus located across the city of Rome with the most important ones being the Temple of Janus Geminus at the edge of the Roman forum. These likely were a part of early Roman war making traditions alongside the declarations of war and the augury of sacred chickens prior to giving battle. We discuss how myths about the Gates of War grew over the course of the Roman Republic and were later exploited by Roman Emperors such as Augustus, Nero, and Vespasian for propaganda.

Sources and suggested reading:
“Watching the Skies: Janus, Auspication, and the Shrine in the Roman Forum” by Rabun Taylor
“The Shrine of Janus Geminus in Rome” by Valentine Müller
"The Curia Julia and the Janus Geminus" by Lawrence Richardson
"History of the world against the pagans" by Orosius
"Fasti" by Ovid

Credits:
Research: Invicta
Script: Invicta
Narration: Invicta
Artwork: Penta Limited

#Rome
#History
#Documentary