Heliogabalus

Heliogabalus, also known as Elagabalus, was a Roman emperor who reigned from 218 to 222 CE and was a member of the Severan dynasty. He was born Varius Avitus Bassianus in Emesa, Syria, and previously served as priest of the sun god Elagabal. After the death of Emperor Caracalla and the brief rule of Macrinus, he was proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard in 218 at about fourteen years of age, and he adopted the imperial name Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus.

His accession brought a period of instability and tension with the Roman Senate and the army. A central feature of his rule was a strong emphasis on the cult of Elagabal, the sun god from Emesa. He promoted this cult in Rome, including the construction of the Elagabalium, a temple on the Palatine Hill intended to elevate Elagabal above traditional Roman deities and to reposition the city’s religious life around his native deity. Contemporary accounts portray his reign as lavish and controversial, with reports of religious experimentation, moral excess, and political maneuvering. Many of these descriptions come from later sources with moralizing viewpoints, and modern historians often treat some details with caution.

Elagabalus and his mother, Julia Soaemias, wielded significant influence in the early years of his rule. Facing opposition from the Senate, the aristocracy, and the military, the emperor and his mother were killed by the Praetorian Guard in 222, and the throne passed to his cousin, Alexander Severus.

Today, Elagabalus remains a controversial figure in antiquity. While ancient sources emphasize extravagance and religious reform, scholars note that some accounts reflect the biases of their authors and the political context of the era.