ELAGABALUS

born 204, Emesa, Syria died 222 also spelled Heliogabalus, byname of Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, original name Varius Avitus Bassianus Roman emperor from 218 to 222, notable chiefly for his eccentric behaviour. The family of his mother, Julia Soaemias, were hereditary high priests of the sun-god Baal at Emesa (in ancient Syria), worshiped in that locality under the name Elah-Gabal (thus Elagabalus). The emperor Caracalla (211217), Bassianus' cousin, was murdered in 217 and replaced by the praetorian prefect Macrinus. The mother and grandmother of Bassianus won the support of the nearby troops by passing Bassianus off as an illegitimate son of Caracalla. Soon thereafter (218) the remainder of the Eastern armies deserted Macrinus. Acknowledged as emperor by the Senate, Bassianus, by virtue of his priestly function, became generally known as Elagabalus. He imposed the worship of Baal upon the Roman world, executed a number of dissident generals, and pushed into high places many favourites distinguished by personal beauty and humble and alien origins. The homosexual orgies held openly by the young emperor outraged Roman opinion. He was persuaded by Julia Maesa, the real power in the government, to adopt his docile cousin Alexander as his son and heir (221). When Elagabalus changed his mind and sought to depose Alexander, the Praetorian Guards mutinied, killed Elagabalus and his mother, and made Alexander emperor.