For the ancient Romans, January was significant because it was the month dedicated to the god Janus (hence Ianuarius, which means January in Latin).

According to Roman mythology, Janus is the two-faced god, associated with beginnings and endings, as well as transitions and passages.

“Theseus and the Minotaur“ by Edward Burne-Jones

“Victory“, 1861, by Christian Daniel Rauch.

Placed in Osborne House, the family house of Queen Victoria in the Isle of Wight, UK.

Stained glass with Imperial coat of arms for the City of Nuremburg, Germany, dated 1508

? The State Museums of Berlin