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Elagabalus was one of the most notorious of Rome's 'bad emperors': a sexually-depraved and eccentric hedonist who in his short and riotous reign made unprecedented changes to Roman state religion and defied all taboos. An oriental boy-priest from Syria - aged just fourteen when he was elevated to power in 218 CE - he placed the sun god El-Gabal at the head of the established Roman pantheon, engaged in orgiastic rituals, took male and female lovers, wore feminine dress and was alleged to have prostituted himself in taverns and even inside the imperial palace. Since his assassination by the Praetorian Guard at the age of eighteen, Elagabalus has been an object of fascination to historians and a source of inspiration for artists and writers. This immensely readable book examines the life of one of the Roman Empire's most colourful figures, and charts the many guises of his legacy: from evil tyrant to firebrand rebel, from mystical androgyne to modern gay teenager, from decadent sensualist to ancient pop star.
Martijn Icks is Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Düsseldorf.
'...[a] racy biography.'
Christopher Hart, The Sunday Times
'A serious, stimulating study of Elagabalus.'
Judith Weingarten, Times Higher Education
'A clear and well-organised account written in a lively and approachable way.'
Brian Campbell, Professor of Roman History, Queen’s University Belfast
'Eminently readable.'
The Historical Association
A Rebel on the Imperial Throne Read
Imprint: I.B.Tauris
Publisher: I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd
Hardback
ISBN: 9781848853621
Publication Date: 30 Aug 2011
Number of Pages: 276
Height: 234
Width: 156
Paperback
ISBN: 9781780765501
Publication Date: 30 Apr 2013
Number of Pages: 288
Height: 216
Width: 135
Elagabalus was one of the most notorious of Rome's 'bad emperors': a sexually-depraved and eccentric hedonist who in his short and riotous reign made unprecedented changes to Roman state religion and defied all taboos. An oriental boy-priest from Syria - aged just fourteen when he was elevated to power in 218 CE - he placed the sun god El-Gabal at the head of the established Roman pantheon, engaged in orgiastic rituals, took male and female lovers, wore feminine dress and was alleged to have prostituted himself in taverns and even inside the imperial palace. Since his assassination by the Praetorian Guard at the age of eighteen, Elagabalus has been an object of fascination to historians and a source of inspiration for artists and writers. This immensely readable book examines the life of one of the Roman Empire's most colourful figures, and charts the many guises of his legacy: from evil tyrant to firebrand rebel, from mystical androgyne to modern gay teenager, from decadent sensualist to ancient pop star.
Martijn Icks is Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Düsseldorf.
'...[a] racy biography.'
Christopher Hart, The Sunday Times
'A serious, stimulating study of Elagabalus.'
Judith Weingarten, Times Higher Education
'A clear and well-organised account written in a lively and approachable way.'
Brian Campbell, Professor of Roman History, Queen’s University Belfast
'Eminently readable.'
The Historical Association
A Rebel on the Imperial Throne Read
Imprint: I.B.Tauris
Publisher: I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd
HardbackISBN: 9781848853621
Publication Date: 30 Aug 2011
Number of Pages: 276
Height: 234
Width: 156
PaperbackISBN: 9781780765501
Publication Date: 30 Apr 2013
Number of Pages: 288
Height: 216
Width: 135