Changes

In 390 AD, Emperor Theodosius the Great ordered the closure of pagan temples. This ended almost a millennium of rituals at the Janiculum, which was turned into a church. However, in the mid-6th century AD, some Roman opened the door for the last time, when the Byzantines were under siege from the Goths. This may indicate that even after the Christianisation of the Empire, there were still some who revered the old God<ref> DeBrohun, p.121</ref>. It was once argued that many witches honored the god Janus in their rituals, but most scholars have rejected this.

An understanding of the god Janus offers us a unique insight into Roman and Italic religion and worldview. It should be noted that the Greeks also had a god of entrances and doorways, but he was a minor figure. The Romans attached great importance to him because he embodied two of the most important principles in life and the world: transition and change.