Elagabalus (/ˌɛləˈɡæbələs/),Aelagabalus,Heliogabalus (/ˌhiːliəˈɡæbələs/) or simplyElagabal (Aramaic: 𐡀𐡋𐡄𐡀𐡂𐡁𐡋ʾĕlāhaʾgabāl[1]) was anArab-Romansun god,[2] initially venerated inEmesa (modern-dayHoms),Syria. Although there were many variations of the name, the god was consistently referred to asElagabalus in Roman coins and inscriptions from AD 218 on, during the reign of EmperorElagabalus.[3]
Elagabalus was initially venerated at Emesa inSyria, where the ArabEmesan dynasty acted as its priests. The name is theLatinised form of the Arabic "Ilah al-Jabal" ("إله الجبل"), the Emesene manifestation of the deity, which is Arabic for "God of the Mountain."[4][5][6][7] Elagabalus was the religious "lord", orBa'al, of Emesa.[4] The deity successfully preserved Arab characteristics, both in his names and representations.[8]
The cult of the deity spread to other parts of theRoman Empire in the second century, where he would be revered asElagabalos (ἘλαγάβαλοςElagábalos) by the Greeks andElagabalus by the Romans. For example, a dedication has been found as far away asWoerden, in the modern-dayNetherlands.[9]
The cult stone orbaetyl was taken to Rome by theEmperorElagabalus, who, before his accession, was the hereditary high priest at Emesa and was commonly called Elagabalus after the deity.[10] The Syrian deity was assimilated with the Roman sun god known asSol and became known asSol Invictus ("the unconquered Sun") among the Romans.[11]
A temple called theElagabalium was built on the east face of thePalatine Hill to house the holy stone of the Emesa temple, ablack conical meteorite.[12]Herodian writes of that stone:
This stone is worshipped as though it were sent from heaven; on it there are some small projecting pieces and markings that are pointed out, which the people would like to believe are a rough picture of the sun, because this is how they see them.[13]
Herodian also related that Elagabalus forced senators to watch while he danced around his deity's altar to the sound of drums and cymbals,[12] and at eachsummer solstice celebrated a great festival, popular with the masses because of food distributions,[14] during which he placed the holy stone on achariot adorned with gold and jewels, which he paraded through the city:
A six horse chariot carried the divinity, the horses huge and flawlessly white, with expensive gold fittings and rich ornaments. No one held the reins, and no one rode in the chariot; the vehicle was escorted as if the god himself were the charioteer. Elagabalus ran backward in front of the chariot, facing the god and holding the horses' reins. He made the whole journey in this reverse fashion, looking up into the face of his god.[14]
Herodian's description strongly suggests that the Emesene cult was inspired by theBabylonianAkitu-festival.[15]
According toCassius Dio, the Emperor also tried to bring about a union of Roman and Syrian religion under the supremacy of his deity, which he placed even aboveJupiter,[16] and to which he assigned eitherAstarte,Minerva orUrania, or some combination of the three, as wife.[14] The most sacred relics from the Roman religion were transferred from their respective shrines to the Elagabalium, including "the emblem ofthe Great Mother, the fire ofVesta, thePalladium, theshields of theSalii, and all that the Romans held sacred". He reportedly also declared thatJews,Samaritans andChristians must transfer their rites to his temple so that it "might include the mysteries of every form of worship".[17]
According to Herodian, after the emperor was killed in 222, his religious edicts were reversed and the cult of Elagabalus returned to Emesa.[18]
Just as the pagan Arab cult of the sun-god of Emesa is a relevant feature of background for the interest of the Severi in religion and in the case of Elagabalus for the installation of the Arab sun-god in Rome itself
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Media related toElagabalus Sol Invictus at Wikimedia Commons