Sidebottom, Harry Der wahnsinnige Kaiser. Elagabal und der Niedergang Roms

8 June 218 A.D. A 14-year-old Syrian boy, urged on by his grandmother, leads an army into battle against the troops of the reigning Roman emperor Macrinus. Contrary to expectations, he is victorious: Varius Avitus Bassianus, known today as Heliogabalus or Elagabal, is proclaimed emperor. The four years of his reign are unrivalled in Roman history: he snubs the conservative ruling class and promotes men of lower origin to high office. He shook up the Roman state religion by replacing Jupiter with the sun god of his home town of Emesa. He marries a Vestal Virgin, has sex with women as well as men and even prostitutes himself. His extravagant feasts are legendary. Harry Sidebottom tells the captivating story of Elagabal's rise and failure. At the same time, against the background of the biography, he explores questions that were central to the Roman imperial period. He discusses topics such as racism and identity, sexuality, religion and power and also looks at the colourful history of Elagabal's reception.