In the preparation of this work I have had much valuable and kindly assistance, for which I desire to acknowledge my deep indebtedness here. First, to Professor Bury of Cambridge, for his unwearying and sage advice on my whole manuscript; also to Dr. Bussell, Vice-Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford, for his interest and kindly corrections; to the authorities in the Bodleian Library; to the assistants in the British Museum, especially to Mr. Philip Wilson and Mr. A. J. Ellis for their continued help in my work there, and to Mr. Allen for the time and care he has spent in helping me find the coins that explain the text.
I have also to acknowledge with sincere thanks the permission of Mr. E. E. Saltus of Harvard University to quote his vivid and beautiful studies on the Roman Empire and her Customs. I am deeply indebted to Mr. Walter Pater, Mr. J. A. Symonds, and Mr. Saltus for many a tournure de phrase and picturesque rendering of Tacitus, Suetonius, Lampridius, and the rest. I also desire to thank Dr. Counsell of New College, Oxford, and Dr. Bailey of the Warneford Asylum, not only for their help in correcting my proofs, but also for their assistance in the preparation of my chapter on Psychology.
To all these gentlemen I owe a great debt, which, I hope, the general public will repay by an appreciation of their work. We have endeavoured to right a wrong; if our efforts are in any way successful, the reader will acknowledge that this mauvais quart d’heure, which has been stigmatised as full of impossible situations and intolerable surprises, is in reality a very human life which, like our own, has its exquisite moments of which we would as soon deprive ourselves as Elagabalus.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| Introduction | [xxiii] |
| [PART I] | |
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| General sketch of conditions, [1]. The Augustan Histories and their writers, [2]. Lampridius, author of the Life of Elagabalus, [4]. First attempts at criticism, [4]. Modern criticism, [4]. Latin sources: Marius Maximus, [5]. Greek sources: Dion Cassius, Xiphilinus, [7]. Herodian, [8]. General attack on the authenticity of the “Lives,” [9]. Mommsen’s opinion, [10]. Peter, Richter, Dessau, Seeck, Klebs, Kornemann, [11-15]. Italian opinion, [15]. General opinion of the biographies, [16]. Reasons for the tainted sources, [18]. Church historians, [19]. Jurisprudence, [21]. Numismatists, [21]. Object of this work, [23]. | |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| Emesa, [24]. High-Priest Kings, [25]. Septimius Severus, [27]. Julius Bassianus, [27]. Julia Domna’s marriage, [28]. Caracalla’s birth, [29]. Septimius Severus, Emperor, [30]. Julia’s court, [31]. Maesa comes to Rome with her family, [31]. Marriage of Soaemias, [34]. Birth of Elagabalus, [35]. Paternity of Elagabalus, [35]. Birthplace of Elagabalus, [36]. Julia Mamaea, her marriage, and her connection with Caracalla, [38]. Macrinus Praetorian Praefect, [41]. His plot against Caracalla, [42]. Election of Macrinus, [43]. Julia’s position, [43]. Her work to recover the empire, [43]. Banishment and death, [44]. | |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| Maesa’s return to Emesa, [46]. Macrinus’ weakness and tyranny, [47]. The legion at Emesa, [48]. Bassianus High-Priest, [49]. Worship of Elagabal, [50]. Bassianus’ religious outlook, [51]. Eutychianus and Gannys corrupt the soldiers, [53]. Date of the proclamation of Elagabalus, [55]. Macrinus astonished, [56]. The Empire in favour of Bassianus, Julian’s expedition, [59]. Deserters to Bassianus, [61]. Macrinus at Apamea, and Diadumenianus’ elevation, [63]. Macrinus retires to Antioch, [66]. Bassianus wins allegiance of soldiers at Apamea, [67]. Dion on the dates of proclamation and battle, [67]. Arval Brothers’ meeting, [68]. Wirth, [69]. Battle of Immae, [69]. Antonine at Antioch, [71]. Macrinus’ escape, [72]. Capture and death, [74]. Character of Macrinus, [75]. | |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| Antonine’s refusal to allow the sack of Antioch, [77]. Chief minister, [78]. Antonine’s temperament, [79]. Acts of the new Government, [81]. Amnesty, [83]. Position of the Senate, [84]. Delight of Rome, [86]. Dismissal of troops, [87]. Treasonable attempts and pretenders, [88]. Elagabal to accompany the Emperor, [91]. Journey to Nicomedia, [92]. Winter in Asia Minor, [93]. Illness of the Emperor, [94]. Xiphilinus on Antonine’s religion, [95]. Monotheistic or Mithraic not polytheistic, [96]. Death of Gannys, [101]. Antonine’s character, [102]. His popularity and his taxation, [104]. | |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| Date of arrival in Rome discussed, [107]. The entry into the city according to Herodian, [110]. First marriage, [111]. The temples, [112]. The scheme for the unifying of religions, [114]. The worship, [115]. The Eastern cults, [115]. Date of scheme discussed, [118]. Reasons for its failure, [118]. Women in the Senate, [119]. Senaculum, [121]. Lampridius on the Emperor’s popularity, [124]. Charges against the Administration, [125]. Divorce of Julia Paula, [126]. Pastimes, [127]. Summary, [128]. Elagabal’s alliance with Vesta, Antonine’s with Aquilia Severa, [129]. Pomponius Bassus’ plot, [131]. Antonine divorces Elagabal from Minerva, himself from Aquilia Severa, [132]. Sends for Tanit from Carthage, [133]. Marries Annia Faustina, [134]. Alliance of Maesa and Mamaea, [135]. | |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| Lampridius on Alexander, [137]. Seius Carus’ plot, [139]. Military expenditure, [140]. Maesa’s plan for the adoption of Alexander, [141]. The Emperor’s reasons for concurrence, [142]. Name Alexander accounted for, [144]. Date of adoption discussed, [145]. Position after adoption, [146]. Alexander’s titles, [147]. Antonine’s endeavours, [148]. Antonine’s resolve to divorce Annia Faustina and disown Alexander, [150]. Accusations against the Government, [151]. Antonine’s attempt to assassinate Alexander discussed, [152]. Antonine goes to Praetorian camp, [154]. Camp conference, [155]. Hatred of Maesa and Mamaea testified against Antonine, [157]. Mamaea’s precautions, [158]. Antonine’s preparations for suicide, [160]. Alexander designated Consul, [160]. The Emperor’s refusal and reasons for his compliance, [161]. Lampridius on Julius Sabinus, [163]. Ulpian and Silvinus, [164]. Reasons for the murder and the various accounts, [165]. Criticism on the above, [170]. The treatment of Elagabalus’ body, [171]. | |
| [CHAPTER VII] | |
| The Emperor set free to further his cult, [173]. The procession, [174]. Mismanagement and appointments, [178]. Freedmen, [180]. Return of Aquilia Severa, [183]. Desire for military glory, [184]. The names of the Emperor, [185]. Activity in building, [186]. Military disaffection, its causes and result, [188]. Date of Elagabalus’ murder and length of reign discussed, [191]. Date for renewal of tribunician power discussed, [194]. Elagabalus’ interest in public affairs, [198]. The treatment of inscriptions, [198]. Outlook of the Roman world, [200]. | |
| [CHAPTER VIII] | |
| Roman views on matrimony, [203]. Elagabalus’ marriage with Julia Paula, [205]. Position of Julius Paulus, [206]. Serviez, etc., on Julia Paula, [207]. Dates of this marriage and divorce, [208]. Elagabalus’ marriage with Aquilia Severa, [211]. Vestals discussed, [211]. Roman religion, [212]. Elagabalus’ lack of prejudice, [214]. His explanation to the Senate, [215]. Family of Aquilia Severa, [215]. Probable dates of marriage and divorce, [216-18]. Maesa’s desire for an alliance with the nobility, [218]. Annia Faustina chosen, her family discussed, [222]. Her age and her divorce, [223]. Further marriages discussed, [224]. Elagabalus’ return to Aquilia, [225]. | |
| [PART II] | |
| [CHAPTER IX] | |
| Lampridius’ Life of Elagabalus impossible, [227]. Elagabalus a psycho-sexual hermaphrodite, not wicked, [229]. The condition quite usual then as now, [229]. Virtue a virile quality, not a neurotic negation, [229]. The Phallus natural and omnipresent typifies joy and fruitfulness, [230]. Elagabalus has strong homosexual nymphomania and every inducement to gratify his feminine instinct, [231]. His nature incredibly open and affectionate, [232]. Maesa an aggravating factor, [234]. Modern authorities on similarly inverted cases to-day, [234]. Biblical parallels, Greek instances, modern religious tendencies, [234]. Normal intolerance largely hypocritical, [235]. The usual instincts of such natures, [235]. Elagabalus’ love of flowers, feasts, and teasing, [236]. His marriages psychologically considered, [238]. His castration and desire for an operation which might produce the female organs discussed, [238]. Elagabalus’ marriage with Hierocles, [239]. Hierocles and Zoticus discussed, [239]. Comparison with Messalina, [240]. Spintries, [240]. Elagabalus’ love of colour, [241]. His frankness, [241]. Greek love opposed to effeminacy, [242]. Gulick on the psychology, on Christianity, [242]. Effeminacy, not homosexuality, disgusts Roman world and gives reason for Elagabalus’ downfall, [244]. | |
| [CHAPTER X] | |
| Description of Nero’s golden house, [245]. Elagabalus compared with Nero, [246]. Pastimes, prodigalities, and dress, [246]. Extravagances of ritual, [250]. Congiaries and games, [251]. Table appointments and food, [252]. Maecenas’ feast, [254]. Perfumes, [256]. Fish, [258]. The spectacles described, [260]. Gladiators discussed, [262]. Elagabalus’ skill as a sportsman, [263]. The lotteries, [264]. Elagabalus’ devices for suicide, [265]. The psychology of extravagance, [266]. | |
| [CHAPTER XI] | |
| Elagabalus’ piety, [267]. Constantine the opponent of other monotheisms, [268]. Theories of religion, [269]. Civilised religion becomes philosophical, [269]. Rome both atheist and credulous, [270]. Civic religion leaves the forces of sex and superstition out of count, [270]. Gods always necessary to the superstitious, the more mystical the more attractive, [271]. Semitic rituals attract the mob, [273]. Elagabal exclusive and absorbs other cults, [273]. Elagabalus’ scheme Erastian, compared with Tudor conception, [273]. Elagabalus will not persecute, [276]. Religion and castration, [276]. Elagabalus no idolator, [277]. His mistake in trying to amalgamate the hated Judaism with Roman deities, [277]. Marriages of Elagabal, [278]. Human sacrifices discussed, [280]. The column for the meteorite, [281]. Contest between religion and dogma, [282]. The numbers of the mob prevail against the rationalists, [284]. Rome bored with all Gods, hence Elagabalus’ failure, [285]. | |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY | [289] |
| INDEX | [299] |
LIST OF COINS
| Facing page | |
| Coin of Antoninus Pius, struck at Emesa (British Museum) | [26] |
| Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla) (British Museum) | [26] |
| Medal of Julia Domna Pia, Empress (British Museum) | [40] |
| Coin of Julia Maesa Augusta (British Museum) | [40] |
| Coin of Julia Soaemias Augusta (British Museum) | [40] |
| Coin of Julia Mamaea Augusta (British Museum) | [40] |
| Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla) (British Museum) | [60] |
| Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Elagabalus) (British Museum) | [60] |
| Coin of Macrinus recording Victoria Parthica, A.D. 218. (From a woodcut) | [60] |
| Coin of Diadumenianus as Emperor, A.D. 218 (British Museum) | [60] |
| Coin of A.D. 219 commemorating the arrival of Elagabalus in Rome (British Museum) | [110] |
| Liberalitas II. Coin struck in A.D. 219 for the Emperor’s marriage with Julia Cornelia Paula. (From the collection of Sir James S. Hay, K.C.M.G.) | [110] |
| Coin struck in A.D. 219 concerning the grain supply (British Museum) | [110] |
| Coin struck in A.D. 219 to commemorate the Emperor’s recovery (British Museum) | [110] |
| Thyatira Coin of Elagabalus (British Museum) | [142] |
| Coin struck to commemorate Alexianus’ adoption, A.D. 221 (British Museum) | [142] |
| Coin struck to commemorate Alexander as Pont. Max., A.D. 221 (British Museum) | [142] |
| Jovi Ultiori. The Eliogabalium as reconsecrated to Jupiter, A.D. 224. (From a woodcut) | [174] |
| Coin struck to commemorate the Procession of Elagabal, A.D. 221 (British Museum) | [174] |
| Coin of A.D. 221 representing the Eliogabalium. (From a photogravure) | [174] |
| Coin of A.D. 220, misread by Cohen as T.P. III Cos. IIII (British Museum) | [196] |
| Coin of A.D. 221, misread by Cohen as T.P. IIII Cos. IIII (British Museum) | [196] |
| Coin of A.D. 222 (British Museum) | [196] |
| Coin of Julia Cornelia Paula Augusta (British Museum) | [216] |
| Coin of Julia Cornelia Paula Augusta, A.D. 220-21 (British Museum) | [216] |
| Coin of Julia Aquilia Severa Augusta, A.D. 220-21 (British Museum) | [216] |
| Coin of Annia Faustina Augusta, A.D. 221-22 (British Museum) | [216] |
| Coin of Julia Aquilia Severa Augusta, A.D. 221-22 (British Museum) | [216] |