Janus is a figure from ancient Roman mythology. He was the god of beginnings, transitions, gates, doorways, passages, and endings. He is often depicted as having two faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward, symbolizing the past and the future. The month of January is named after Janus, and he was also the patron deity of Rome. He was associated with the start of wars and the ending of peace and was also seen as a symbol of duality, transitions, and change.