MARC Record from Library of Congress

LEADER: 03277cam a22003498a 4500
001 2010000701
003 DLC
005 20100910134451.0
008 100111s2010 enk b 001 0beng
010 $a 2010000701
020 $a9780521895552 (hardback)
040 $aDLC$cDLC
043 $ae------$aaw-----$aff-----
050 00 $aDG303$b.A77 2010
082 00 $a937/.07092$222
100 1 $aArrizabalaga y Prado, Leonardo de,$d1946-
245 14 $aThe Emperor Elagabalus :$bfact or fiction? /$cLeonardo de Arrizabalaga y Prado.
260 $aCambridge ;$aNew York :$bCambridge University Press,$c2010.
263 $a1004
300 $ap. cm.
520 $a"The third-century adolescent Roman emperor miscalled Elagabalus or Heliogabalus was made into myth shortly after his murder. For 1800 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"--Provided by publisher.
504 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index.
505 0 $apt. 1. Exposition -- Radical and basic questions -- Problematic -- Sources and method of enquiry -- pt. 2. Explosion -- Varius, Elagabalus, and Heliogabalus -- Varian texts -- Analysis of Varian propositions -- pt. 3. Constitution -- A mental exercise -- Coins -- Inscriptions -- Papyri, ostraca, and mummy labels -- Sculpture : round -- Sculpture : relief -- Topography -- Res gestae -- pt. 4. Speculation -- The question Why? -- Varius' priesthood -- Varius' childhood -- Varius' heritage -- Varius' reality -- pt. 5. Findings in contexts -- Findings -- Varius' family -- The Severan dynasty -- The Roman principate -- Varius' shift -- Varius and his models -- Severan self-presentation -- Varius and the imperial administration -- Varius and history -- Varius and culture -- Appendix 1: Theory of knowledge -- Appendix 2: Varian propositions -- Appendix 3: Varian coin concordance -- Appendix 4: List of Varian inscriptions -- Appendix 5: List of Varian papyri, ostraca, and mummy labels -- Appendix 6: Varian chronology.
600 00 $aElagabalus,$cEmperor of Rome,$d204-222.
600 00 $aElagabalus,$cEmperor of Rome,$d204-222$xDeath and burial.
600 00 $aElagabalus,$cEmperor of Rome,$d204-222$vLegends.
650 0 $aEmperors$zRome$vBiography.
651 0 $aRome$xKings and rulers$vBiography.
651 0 $aRome$xHistory$yElagabalus, 218-222.
651 0 $aRome$xHistory$yElagabalus, 218-222$vSources.
651 0 $aRome$xAntiquities.
856 42 $3Cover image$uhttp://assets.cambridge.org/97805218/95552/cover/9780521895552.jpg