Emperor .28218.E2.80.93222.29 Elagabalus

1 emperor (218–222)

1.1 religious controversy
1.2 sex/gender controversy
1.3 fall power

1.3.1 assassination

emperor (218–222)

a denarius commissioned elagabalus, bearing likeness

elagabalus , entourage spent winter of 218 in bithynia @ nicomedia, emperor s religious beliefs first presented problem. contemporary historian cassius dio suggests gannys in fact killed new emperor because pressured elagabalus live temperately , prudently . romans adjust having oriental priest emperor, julia maesa had painting of elagabalus in priestly robes sent rome , hung on statue of goddess victoria in senate house. placed senators in awkward position of having make offerings elagabalus whenever made offerings victoria.

the legions dismayed behaviour , came regret having supported accession. while elagabalus still on way rome, brief revolts broke out fourth legion @ instigation of gellius maximus, , third legion, had been responsible elevation of elagabalus throne, under command of senator verus. rebellion put down, , third legion disbanded.

when entourage reached rome in autumn of 219, comazon , other allies of julia maesa , elagabalus given powerful , lucrative positions, chagrin of many senators did not consider them worthy of such privileges. after tenure praetorian prefect, comazon serve city prefect of rome 3 times, , consul twice. elagabalus devalued roman currency. decreased silver purity of denarius 58% 46.5% — actual silver weight dropping 1.82 grams 1.41 grams. demonetized antoninianus during period in rome.

elagabalus tried have presumed lover, charioteer hierocles, declared caesar, while alleged lover, athlete aurelius zoticus, appointed non-administrative influential position of master of chamber, or cubicularius. offer of amnesty roman upper class largely honoured, though jurist ulpian exiled.

the relationships between julia maesa, julia soaemias, , elagabalus strong @ first. mother , grandmother became first women allowed senate, , both received senatorial titles: soaemias established title of clarissima, , maesa more unorthodox mater castrorum et senatus ( mother of army camp , of senate ). held title of augusta well, suggesting may have been power behind throne. indeed, exercised great influence on young emperor throughout reign, , can found on many coins , inscriptions—a rare honor roman women.

religious controversy

a roman aureus depicting elagabalus. reverse reads sanct(o) deo soli elagabal(o) (to holy sun god elagabalus), , depicts four-horse, gold chariot carrying holy stone of emesa temple.

since reign of septimius severus, sun worship had increased throughout empire. elagabalus saw opportunity install elagabal chief deity of roman pantheon. god renamed deus sol invictus, meaning god undefeated sun, , honored above jupiter.

as token of respect roman religion, however, elagabalus joined either astarte, minerva, urania, or combination of 3 elagabal consort. union between elagabal , traditional goddess have served strengthen ties between new religion , imperial cult. in fact, there may have been effort introduce elagabal, urania, , athena new capitoline triad of rome—replacing jupiter, juno, , minerva.

he aroused further discontent when married vestal virgin aquilia severa, claiming marriage produce godlike children . flagrant breach of roman law , tradition, held vestal found have engaged in sexual intercourse buried alive.

a lavish temple called elagabalium built on east face of palatine hill house elagabal, represented black conical meteorite emesa. herodian wrote stone worshipped though sent heaven; on there small projecting pieces , markings pointed out, people believe rough picture of sun, because how see them .

in order become high priest of new religion, elagabalus had himself circumcised. forced senators watch while danced around altar of deus sol invictus accompaniment of drums , cymbals. each summer solstice held festival dedicated god, became popular masses because of free food distributed on these occasions. during festival, elagabalus placed emesa stone on chariot adorned gold , jewels, paraded through city:

a 6 horse chariot carried divinity, horses huge , flawlessly white, expensive gold fittings , rich ornaments. no 1 held reins, , no 1 rode in chariot; vehicle escorted if god himself charioteer. elagabalus ran backward in front of chariot, facing god , holding horses reins. made whole journey in reverse fashion, looking face of god.

the sacred relics roman religion transferred respective shrines elagabalium, including emblem of great mother, fire of vesta, shields of salii, , palladium, no other god worshipped except in association elagabal.

sex/gender controversy

roman denarius depicting aquilia severa, second wife of elagabalus. marriage caused public outrage because aquilia vestal virgin, sworn roman law celibacy 30 years.

the question of elagabalus sexual orientation confused, owing salacious , unreliable sources. elagabalus married , divorced 5 women, 3 of whom known. first wife julia cornelia paula; second vestal virgin julia aquilia severa.

within year, abandoned , married annia aurelia faustina, descendant of marcus aurelius , widow of man had had executed. had returned second wife severa end of year. according cassius dio, stable relationship seems have been chariot driver, blond slave caria named hierocles, whom referred husband.

the augustan history claims married man named zoticus, athlete smyrna, in public ceremony @ rome. cassius dio reported elagabalus paint eyes, depilate body hair , wear wigs before prostituting himself in taverns, brothels, , in imperial palace:

finally, set aside room in palace , there committed indecencies, standing nude @ door of room, harlots do, , shaking curtain hung gold rings, while in soft , melting voice solicited passers-by. there were, of course, men had been specially instructed play part. for, in other matters, in business, too, had numerous agents sought out best please him foulness. collect money patrons , give himself airs on gains; dispute associates in shameful occupation, claiming had more lovers , took in more money.

herodian commented elagabalus enhanced natural looks regular application of cosmetics. described having been delighted called mistress, wife, queen of hierocles , reported have offered vast sums of money physician equip him female genitalia. elagabalus has been characterized modern writers transgender.

fall power

by 221 elagabalus eccentricities, particularly relationship hierocles, increasingly provoked soldiers of praetorian guard. when elagabalus grandmother julia maesa perceived popular support emperor waning, decided , mother, had encouraged religious practices, had replaced. alternatives, turned other daughter, julia avita mamaea, , daughter s son, thirteen-year-old severus alexander.

prevailing on elagabalus, arranged appoint cousin alexander heir , boy given title of caesar. alexander shared consulship emperor year. however, elagabalus reconsidered arrangement when began suspect praetorian guard preferred cousin himself.

following failure of various attempts on alexander s life, elagabalus stripped cousin of titles, revoked consulship, , invented rumor alexander near death, in order see how praetorians react. riot ensued, , guard demanded see elagabalus , alexander in praetorian camp.

assassination

the emperor complied , on 11 march 222 publicly presented cousin along own mother, julia soaemias. on arrival soldiers started cheering alexander while ignoring elagabalus, ordered summary arrest , execution of had taken part in display of insubordination. in response, members of praetorian guard attacked elagabalus , mother:

he made attempt flee, , have got away somewhere being placed in chest had not been discovered , slain, @ age of eighteen. mother, embraced him , clung tightly him, perished him; heads cut off , bodies, after being stripped naked, first dragged on city, , mother s body cast aside somewhere or other, while thrown [tiber].

following assassination, many associates of elagabalus killed or deposed, including lover hierocles. religious edicts reversed , stone of elagabal sent emesa. women again barred attending meetings of senate. practice of damnatio memoriae—erasing public record disgraced personage formerly of note—was systematically applied in case.