Elagabalus AD 218-222 Silver Denarius Rome mint

ELAGABALUS  AD 218-222, Silver Denarius, Rome mint

Laureate and draped bust right/Roma seated holding Victory and spear

RCV7528, 2.62g, 18mm

This coin comes with an old handwritten label. Ex Brighstone Collection.

Born around AD 204, Elagabalus or Heliogabalus, also known as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, took his name from a sun god Elah Gabal and the black stone which he worshipped as a priest. A son of Julia Soaemias, elder daughter of Julia Domna’s sister Julia Maesa the rumour spread that Elagabalus was in fact the son of Caracalla to whom he bore a strong resemblance. This ruse was successful in assuring the boy of strong army backing when there was a revolt against Macrinus in AD 218. Proclaimed emperor, when the two armies met shortly afterwards near Antioch Macrinus suffered a resounding defeat. Macrinus fled but was shortly afterwards captured and killed.
Elagabalus proceeded to Rome along with his black stone which he had enshrined as the principal deity of Rome above Jupiter. Marrying Julia Paula in AD 219 Elagabalus soon began to exhibit fanatical behaviour which was encouraged by his promiscuous mother. His sexual depravity shocked Rome as did his marriage to the Vestal Virgin Aquilia Severa in AD 220. His reign became infamous for its debauchery and became one of the strangest in the history of the empire. Eventually Roman society turned and shortly after his cousin Severus Alexander was appointed his heir and Caesar Elagabalus was murdered, along with mother the hated Julia Soaemias. Their bodies were dragged through the streets and dumped in the Tiber.