Elagabalus grew to become Roman emperor at 14, was assassinated at 18, and managed to pack extra scandal into these 4 years than most rulers obtain in a lifetime. His grandmother, Julia Maesa, orchestrated his rise to energy in 218 CE by way of a military revolt, and she or he’d orchestrate his dying the identical manner when he grew to become an excessive amount of to deal with.
Born right into a distinguished Syrian household in Emesa (fashionable Homs), Elagabalus served as excessive priest of the solar god Elagabal from a younger age. When he took the throne, he did not go away his god behind — he introduced your entire cult to Rome, together with the large black stone that represented the deity, and compelled senators and army commanders to take part in his non secular rites.
Historical sources paint him as spectacularly debauched: 4 marriages (together with to a Vestal Virgin, a capital offense), male lovers showered with authorities positions, and private conduct so transgressive that later historians could not deliver themselves to explain it straight. Edward Gibbon wrote that Elagabalus “deserted himself to the grossest pleasures with ungoverned fury.”
Fashionable historians are extra cautious about taking Roman propaganda at face worth. However even essentially the most charitable studying acknowledges he was wildly incompetent. He alienated the Praetorian Guard, the Senate, and extraordinary Romans alike. His grandmother, seeing the writing on the wall, organized for his cousin Severus Alexander to interchange him. The Guard did the remaining.
4 years of chaos, useless at 18. Roman politics weren’t for the faint of coronary heart.
Beforehand:
• Priceless historical Roman bust offered for $34.99 at a Texas Goodwill
• Nude statues at Rome museum coated to not embarrass Iranian president
• This priceless piece of Caligula’s mosaic flooring was unknowingly used for 50 years as a espresso desk in a NYC condo
• Renaissance painter Arcimboldo’s fruit and vegetable portraits
• Lifelike mannequin of Emperor Nero
