Cambridge University Press

9780521895552 - The Emperor Elagabalus: Fact or Fiction? - By Leonardo De Arrizabalaga Y Prado

Frontmatter/Prelims

The Emperor Elagabalus

The third-century adolescent Roman emperor miscalled Elagabalus or Heliogabalus was made into myth shortly after his murder. For 1,800 years since, scandalous stories relate his alleged depravity, debauchery and bloodthirsty fanaticism as high priest of a Syrian sun god. From these, one cannot discern anything demonstrably true about the boy or his reign. This book, drawing on the author's detailed research and publications, investigates what can truly be known about this emperor. Through careful analysis of all sources, including historiography, coins, inscriptions, papyri, sculpture and topography, it shows that there are things of which we can be sure, and others that are likely. Through these we can reassess his reign. We discover a youth, thrust by his handlers into power on false pretences, who creates his own more authentic persona as priest-emperor, but loses the struggle for survival against rivals in his family, who justify his murder with his myth.

LEONARDO DE ARRIZABALAGA Y PRADO is a graduate of Cambridge University. Recently he taught at Tsukuba University, Japan, where he published many articles, in English, on the Roman emperor commonly but wrongly known as ‘Elagabalus’.

The Emperor Elagabalus: Fact or Fiction?

Leonardo De Arrizabalaga Y Prado

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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First published 2010

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List of illustrations	vii
Acknowledgements	xiii
Dedication	xv
Abbreviations	xviii
Stylistic conventions	xxxiv
1 Exposition	1
Radical and basic questions	1
Problematic	5
Sources and method of enquiry	14
2 Explosion	25
Varius, Elagabalus and Heliogabalus	25
Varian texts	27
Analysis of Varian propositions	46
3 Constitution	57
A mental exercise	57
Coins	59
Inscriptions	106
Papyri, ostraca and mummy labels	125
Sculpture: round	131
Sculpture: relief	141
Topography	146
Res Gestae	153
4 Speculation	162
The question Why?	162
Varius' priesthood	165
Varius' childhood	183
Varius' heritage	205
Varius' reality	229
5 Findings in contexts	260
Findings	260
Varius' family	261
The Severan dynasty	262
The Roman principate	264
Varius' shift	266
Varius and his models	268
Severan self-presentation	272
Varius and the imperial administration	278
Varius and history	280
Varius and culture	282
6 Appendices
1: Theory of knowledge	285
2: Varian propositions	294
3: Varian coin concordance	347
4: List of Varian inscriptions	350
5: List of Varian papyri, ostraca and mummy labels	352
6: Varian chronology	357
Bibliography	361
Index	371

List of illustrations

Topography: xxxvi--xxxvii

Map 1.

The Roman empire in the late Severan period (211--235) showing Varian sites.

Ancient historiography: 24Dio's text in Codex Vaticanus Graecus 1266, Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana.Coins: 89–10589: 0. Emesene coin of Caracalla showing the Baetyl in the Temple of Emesa: BMC: c.230.17; 1922,0509.364; CGR153026. Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum. (As reproduced in LIMC, Elagabalos, N° 7.)The following list shows Numismatica Variana Data Base (NVDB) number, source, source catalogue number, side and denomination.90: 1.NVDB 359: BNF: FG 1226, obv., AV2.NVDB 328: BNF: FG 1220, obv., AV3.NVDB 345: BNF: FG 7182, obv., D4.NVDB 373: BNF: FG 7322, obv., D5.NVDB 364: BNF: FG 7314, obv., D6.NVDB 509: BNF: FG 7312, obv., D91: 7.NVDB 10: BNF: FG 7252, obv., D8.NVDB 59: BNF: SL 161, obv., AV9.NVDB 38: FWM: CM.RI.1855-R, obv., A10.NVDB 41: BNF: A-V 1195, obv., A11.NVDB 85: FWM: CM.RI.1856-R, obv., D12.NVDB 69: BNF: BEDR 443, obv., AV

92: 13.NVDB 77: BNF: Y 28803, obv., A14.NVDB 75: FWM: CM.TR.1611-R, obv., A15.NVDB 136: BNF: FG 7325, obv., A16.NVDB 371: BNF: FG 7317, obv., A17.NVDB 127: BNF: EDD, obv., A18.NVDB 107: BNF: 1984--402, obv., A93: 19.NVDB 223: BNF: FG 7283, obv., D20.NVDB 281: BNF: FG 7240, obv., D21.NVDB 273: BNF: FG 7237, obv., D22.NVDB 207: BNF: FG 1223, obv., AV23.NVDB 254: BNF: FG 7221, obv., D24.NVDB 245: BNF: FG 1219, obv., AV94: 25.NVDB 253: FWM: CM.RI.1857-R, obv., D26.NVDB 225: BNF: 1966--512-3, obv., D27.NVDB 24: BNF: FG 7310, obv., As28.NVDB 241: BNF: FG 7273, obv., As29.NVDB 228: BNF: FG 7303, obv., Dp30.NVDB 210--212: BNF: A-V 1199, obv., A95: 31.NVDB 238: BNF: FG 1218, rev., AV32.NVDB 155: BNF: FG 3795, rev., S33.NVDB 328: BNF: FG 1220, rev., AV34.NVDB 350: BNF: FG 7189, rev., D35.NVDB 243: BNF: FG 7183, rev., D36.NVDB 245: BNF: FG 1219, rev., AV96: 37.NVDB 37: BNF: CDB 144, rev., AV38.NVDB 359: BNF: FG 1226, rev., AV39.NVDB 290: FWM: CM.RI.657 R, obv., S40.NVDB 290: FWM: CM.RI.657-R, rev., S41.NVDB 141: FWM: CM.YG.1399R, rev., AV42.NVDB 153: BNF: FG 1222, rev., AV97: 43.NVDB 369: BNF: FG 1227, obv., AV44.NVDB 369: BNF: FG 1227, rev., AV45.NVDB 375: BNF: FG 7344, rev., D46.NVDB 378: BNF: FG 7343, rev., D

47.NVDB 307: FWM: CM.YG.330-R, obv., S48.NVDB 307: FWM: CM.YG.330-R, rev., S98: 49.NVDB 254: BNF: FG 7221, rev., D50.NVDB 259: FWM: CM.RI.1858-R, rev., D51.NVDB 308: BNF: 1984/403XL, rev., D52.NVDB 301: FWM:CM.RI.1859-R, rev., D53.NVDB 313: FWM: M.RI.1860-R, rev., D54.NVDB 313: FWM: CM.RI.1857-R, rev., D99: 55.NVDB 181: FWM: CM.RI.1861-R, obv., D56.NVDB 181: FWM: CM.RI.1861-R, rev., D57.NVDB 187: BNF: FG 7289, obv., D58.NVDB 187: BNF: FG 7289, rev., D59.NVDB 229: BNF: A-V 1200, obv., S60.NVDB 229: BNF: A-V 1200, rev., S100: 61.NVDB 510: BNF: FG 374, obv., M62.NVDB 510: BNF: FG 374, rev., M101: 63.NVDB 511: BMC: 1992 s-9--364 Clay, obv., M. Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum64.NVDB 511: BMC: 1992 s-9--364 Clay, rev., M. Photograph © The Trustees of the British Museum102: 65.NVDB 512: MKB: 105, obv., AE66.NVDB 512: MKB: 105, rev., AE103: 67.NVDB 513: NAC: 596, obv., A68.NVDB 513: NAC: 596, rev., A104: 69.NVDB 514: BNF: FG 28, obv., MC70.NVDB 514: BNF: FG 28, rev., MC105: 71.NVDB 422: BNF: FG 1231, obv., AV72.NVDB 380: BNF: CDB146, obv., AV73.NVDB 462: BNF: FG 1229, obv., AV74.NVDB 486: BNF: FG 3815, obv., S75.NVDB 495: BNF: FG 3817, obv., S76.NVDB 496: FWM: CM.LS.3594-R, obv., D

Denominations:

A		Antoninianus
AE		Bronze
As		As
AV		Aureus
D		Denarius
Dp		Dupondius
M		Medallion
MC		M\'{e}daillon Cercl\'{e}
S		Sestertius

Sources:

BMC		British Museum Collection
BNF		Biblioth\`{e}que Nationale de France
FWM		Fitzwilliam Museum
MKB		M\"{u}nzkabinett Berlin
NAC		Numismatica Ars Classica

Thanks are due to the British Museum, to the Director of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, to the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum, to the Director of the Münzkabinett Berlin, and to the publishers of Numismatica Ars Classica for kind permission to publish their coinsSculpture: round: (1–24) 133–140; relief: (25–32) 143–145133: 1.Bust: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, 756a (I.N. 2073). Photograph by Ole Haupt.2.Bust: Schlossmuseum, Gotha, Inv.-Nr. A Ptr 2. Photographs by Lutz Ebhardt.3.Bust: Musée du Louvre, Paris, MA N° 1077. Photo RMN.134: 4.Head: Landesmuseum Württemberg, Inv.Nr. Arch 68/1. Photographs by P. Frankenstein, H. Zweitasch.5.Bust: Museo Torlonia, Rome, Inv. N° 574. Photographs used by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.6.Fragment: Museo Capitolino, Rome, Magazzino Teatro Marcello. Inv. 903. Photographs used by permission of the Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali del Comune di Roma.135: 7.Bust: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, N° 77.337. Photographs used by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.8.Head: Nymphaeum Museum, Perge, Turkey. Photographs used by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.

9.Head: Musei Vaticani, Rome, Inv. N° 4696. Photographs Vatican Museums.136: 10.Head: Museo Capitolino, Rome, Inv. N° 470. Photographs by the author.11.Head: The National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo, Inv. N° 1434. Photographs by J. Lathion © Nasjonalmuseet 2008.12.Head: The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Inv. N° MTh 855. Used with permission.137: 13.Bust: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, I.N. 741. Photograph by Ole Haupt.14.Statue: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, I.N. 714. Photograph by Ole Haupt.15.Bust: Musée du Louvre, Paris, MA N° 1022. Photograph RMN.138: 16.Head: American School of Classical Studies at Athens: Agora Excavations, Inv. S 95417.Bust: American School of Classical Studies at Athens: Agora Excavations, Inv. S 206218.Bust: Farnborough Hall, Warwickshire, Universität zu Köln: Forschungsarchiv für Antike Plastik, Inv. No 5697139: 19.Head: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 45--66. Photograph by John Lamberton.20.Head: Roma, Musei Capitolini, Centrale Montemartini, Inv. 2457. Photograph from Archivio Fotografico dei Musei Capitolini, by Maria Teresa Natale.21.Head Museo Nazionale Romano, Inv. N° 329. Photograph used by permission of the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma.140: 22.Colossal statue: Museo Nazionale, Naples. Photograph used by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.23.Panzerstatue: Archäologischer Park, Carnuntum. Used with permission.24.Gewandstatue: Archäologischer Park, Carnuntum. Used with permission.143: 25.Cameo: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris N° 303. Used with permission.26.Cameo: Münzkabinett, Berlin N° 7011.27.Cameo: The State Hermitage Museum, N°. Ж-1453. Photograph © The State Hermitage Museum St. Petersburg.144: 28.Cameo: Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris N° 304. Used with permission.29.Cameo: Münzkabinett, Berlin N° 234230.Relief sculpture: La pompa del magistrato, Museo di Aquileia, Udine. Photograph: Aquileia Nostra, Udine.145: 31.The Idyll of Elagabal. Drawing, by the author.32.Photo-merge of column capital, by the author.Topography: 148–150150: 0.Drawing of the Emesene Temple of Elagabal from a Varian coin of Emesa, Donaldson 1857, N° 19.151: 1.Map of Rome in the reign of Varius. (Adapted by LAP from Palmer, R. R. (ed.) 1957: 39).2.Reconstruction of the Varian temple of Elagabal, Rome, Françoise Villedieu and Patrizia Veltri.152: 3.Syrian temple, Trastevere, Rome. Photograph by the author.4.Circus Varianus, Porta Labicana, Rome. Photograph by the author.