Some recent historians paint a more favorable picture of the emperor's rule. Yet, confining ourselves to the public scenes displayed before the Roman people, and attested by grave and contemporary historians, their inexpressible infamy surpasses that of any other age or country. It may seem probable, the vices and follies of Elagabalus have been adorned by fancy, and blackened by prejudice. The master of the Roman world affected to copy the manners and dress of the female sex, preferring the distaff to the sceptre, and dishonored the principal dignities of the empire by distributing them among his numerous lovers one of whom was publicly invested with the title and authority of the emperor's, or, as he more properly styled himself, the empress's husband. A long train of concubines, and a rapid succession of wives, among whom was a vestal virgin, ravished by force from her sacred asylum, were insufficient to satisfy the impotence of his passions. To confound the order of the season and climate, to sport with the passions and prejudices of his subjects, and to subvert every law of nature and decency, were in the number of his most delicious amusements. The assassination plot against Elagabalus was devised by his grandmother, Julia Maesa, and carried out by disaffected members of the Praetorian Guard. Amidst growing opposition, Elagabalus, just 18 years old, was assassinated and replaced by his cousin Severus Alexander on 11 March 222, who ruled for 13 years before his own assassination, which marked the epoch event for the Crisis of the Third Century. His behavior estranged the Praetorian Guard, the Senate, and the common people alike. Elagabalus was supposedly 'married' as many as five times, lavishing favours on male courtiers popularly thought to have been his lovers, and was reported to have prostituted himself in the imperial palace. He forced leading members of Rome's government to participate in religious rites celebrating this deity, over which he personally presided.

He replaced the traditional head of the Roman pantheon, Jupiter, with the deity Elagabalus, of whom he had been high priest.

Later historians suggest Elagabalus showed a disregard for Roman religious traditions and sexual taboos.

Heliogabalus antonin artaud pdf