Heliogabalus (hē'lēōgăb`ələs) or Elagabalus (ĕləgăb`ələs), c.205–222, Roman emperor (218–22). He was a priest of the local sun god, Elagabalus, at Emesa and was named Varius Avitus Bassianus. He was a cousin of Caracalla Caracalla (kărəkăl`ə), 188–217, Roman emperor (211–17); son of Septimius Severus .
..... Click the link for more information. ; according to the claims (almost certainly false) of his ambitious mother and grandmother, he was the son of Caracalla. He was chosen by the troops in Syria as emperor in opposition to Macrinus, who had killed and succeeded Caracalla. When Macrinus was defeated and killed at Antioch, Heliogabalus became emperor as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. His reign was a tragic farce. He imported the cult of which he was priest, and Rome was shocked and disgusted by the indecency of the rites as well as by the private life of the emperor, who gave high offices to an actor, a charioteer, and a barber. His grandmother, Julia Maesa, induced him to adopt his young cousin, Alexander Severus Alexander Severus (Marcus Aurelius Alexander Severus) (sĭvēr`əs), d. 235, Roman emperor (222–35), b. Syria.
..... Click the link for more information. , but Heliogabalus later tried to have the boy killed. Heliogabalus and his mother were murdered in an uprising of the Praetorian Guard. Alexander Severus succeeded.
(born AD 203, Emesa, Syria—died March 11, 222, Rome) Roman emperor (218–222) notable for his eccentric behaviour. Passed off as Caracalla's illegitimate son, he became emperor with the support of the army. He identified himself with the Syrian god Baal and imposed Baal worship on the empire. His execution of dissidents, promotion of favourites, and homosexual orgies outraged the Romans. After he named his cousin Alexander heir and then changed his mind, the Praetorian Guards mutinied, murdered him, and made Alexander emperor.
Heliogabalus, Elagabalus
..... Click the link for more information. ; according to the claims (almost certainly false) of his ambitious mother and grandmother, he was the son of Caracalla. He was chosen by the troops in Syria as emperor in opposition to Macrinus, who had killed and succeeded Caracalla. When Macrinus was defeated and killed at Antioch, Heliogabalus became emperor as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. His reign was a tragic farce. He imported the cult of which he was priest, and Rome was shocked and disgusted by the indecency of the rites as well as by the private life of the emperor, who gave high offices to an actor, a charioteer, and a barber. His grandmother, Julia Maesa, induced him to adopt his young cousin, Alexander Severus Alexander Severus (Marcus Aurelius Alexander Severus) (sĭvēr`əs), d. 235, Roman emperor (222–35), b. Syria.
..... Click the link for more information. , but Heliogabalus later tried to have the boy killed. Heliogabalus and his mother were murdered in an uprising of the Praetorian Guard. Alexander Severus succeeded.
Elagabalus
or Heliogabalus officially Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus orig. Varius Avitus Bassianus)
Elagabalus, marble portrait bust, c. 221.
(credit: © Araldo de Luca/Corbis)
Heliogabalus, Elagabalus
original name Varius Avitus Bassianus. ?204--222 ad, Roman emperor (218--222). His reign was notorious for debauchery and extravagance
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