Elagabalus — The Emperor Rome Wanted To Forget

Elagabalus went down in history as one of Rome’s most scandalous emperors. Ancient authors accused him of sexual depravity, insane extravagance, bizarre religious rituals, and complete contempt for Roman traditions. After his death, the Senate even ordered his name to be erased from inscriptions, his statues destroyed, and all memory of him removed from history. But who was he really? In this video, we will explore how a fourteen-year-old Syrian priest came to sit on the throne of the Roman Empire, why he proclaimed the god Elagabal the supreme deity of Rome, and how his religious reforms turned the Senate, the army, and the Praetorian Guard against him. We will also examine the most famous stories about his reign: lavish banquets, showers of rose petals, numerous marriages, favourites, women’s clothing, and reports that he wished to change his sex. How much can these accounts be trusted? Where do historical facts end and political propaganda begin? This is the story of a teenager who was given absolute power over the greatest empire of his time, of the clash between Syrian and Roman religious traditions, and of a ruler whom Rome first killed and then tried to erase from memory. Subscribe to the channel so you do not miss our new videos about the history of the ancient world. Editing and animation: Ky