Sources Elagabalus

1 sources

1.1 augustan history
1.2 cassius dio
1.3 herodian

1.3.1 edward gibbon , later historians

sources
augustan history

the source of many of these stories of elagabalus s depravity augustan history (historia augusta), includes controversial claims. historia augusta written toward end of 4th century during reign of emperor theodosius i. life of elagabalus described in augustan history of uncertain historical merit. sections 13 17, relating fall of elagabalus, less controversial among historians.

cassius dio

sources considered more credible augustan history include contemporary historians cassius dio , herodian. cassius dio lived second half of 2nd century until sometime after 229. born patrician family, spent greater part of life in public service. senator under emperor commodus , governor of smyrna after death of septimius severus. afterwards served suffect consul around 205, , proconsul in africa , pannonia.

severus alexander held him in high esteem , made him consul again. roman history spans millennium, arrival of aeneas in italy until year 229. contemporary of elagabalus, cassius dio s account of reign considered more reliable augustan history, although own admission dio spent greater part of relevant period outside of rome , had rely on second-hand information.

furthermore, political climate in aftermath of elagabalus reign, dio s own position within government of alexander influenced truth of part of history worse. dio regularly refers elagabalus sardanapalus, partly distinguish him divine namesake, chiefly part in maintaining damnatio memoriae , associate him autocrat notorious dissolute life.

herodian

medal of elagabalus, louvre museum.

another contemporary of elagabalus herodian, minor roman civil servant lived c. 170 until 240. work, history of roman empire since marcus aurelius, commonly abbreviated roman history, eyewitness account of reign of commodus until beginning of reign of gordian iii. work largely overlaps dio s own roman history, texts, written independently of each other, agree more not emperor , short eventful reign .

although herodian not deemed reliable cassius dio, lack of literary , scholarly pretensions make him less biased senatorial historians. herodian considered important source religious reforms took place during reign of elagabalus, have been confirmed numismatic , archaeological evidence.

edward gibbon , later historians

for readers of modern age, history of decline , fall of roman empire edward gibbon (1737–94) further cemented scandalous reputation of elagabalus. gibbon not accepted , expressed outrage @ allegations of ancient historians, might have added details of own; first historian known claim gannys eunuch, example. gibbon wrote:

to confound order of season , climate, sport passions , prejudices of subjects, , subvert every law of nature , decency, in number of delicious amusements. long train of concubines, , rapid succession of wives, among whom vestal virgin, ravished force sacred asylum, insufficient satisfy impotence of passions. master of roman world affected copy manners , dress of female sex, preferring distaff sceptre, , dishonored principal dignities of empire distributing them among numerous lovers; 1 of whom publicly invested title , authority of emperor s, or, more styled himself, empress s husband. may seem probable, vices , follies of elagabalus have been adorned fancy, , blackened prejudice. yet, confining ourselves public scenes displayed before roman people, , attested grave , contemporary historians, inexpressible infamy surpasses of other age or country.

two hundred years after age of pliny, use of pure, or of mixed silks, confined female sex, till opulent citizens of rome , provinces insensibly familiarized example of elagabalus, first who, effeminate habit, had sullied dignity of emperor , man.

some recent historians paint more favourable picture of emperor s rule. example, martijn icks, in images of elagabalus (2008; republished crimes of elagabalus in 2012), doubts reliability of ancient sources , argues emperor s unorthodox religious policies alienated power elite of rome, point grandmother saw fit eliminate him , replace him cousin. leonardo de arrizabalaga y prado, in emperor elagabalus: fact or fiction? (2008), critical of ancient historians , speculates neither religion nor sexuality played role in fall of young emperor. loser in power struggle within imperial family; loyalty of praetorian guards sale, , julia maesa had resources outmaneuver , outbribe grandson. in version of events, once elagabalus, mother, , immediate circle had been murdered, campaign of character assassination began, resulting in grotesque caricature has persisted present day. historians have not kept tradition alive, embellished it, reflecting own bias against effeminacy, religious zealotry , other traits elagabalus commonly identified.