ELAGABALVS

Reigned: 218-222 A.D.

MARCVS AVRELIVS ANTONINVS was born at the height of the reign of Septimius Severus in 203 or 204 A.D. in Emesa (modern Homs in Syria) to Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus as VARIVS AVITVS BASSIANVS. At a very young age he became a priest of the local sun-god, Elah-Gabal, which is the reason we now know him by his nickname ELAGABALVS. When Caracalla was assassinated in April 217 and Macrinus claimed the throne, Elagabalus' mother and grand mother Julia Maesa (Julia Domna's sister) soon began plotting the overtrow of the new emperor. In a clever move to win favor with the troops the women decided to spread the rumor that young Bassianus was in fact  the illegitimate son of Caracalla, changing the boy's name to match their claim. The soldiers bought the bait and revolted against Macrinus, who had managed to make himself unpopular in a very short time. Elagabalus was proclaimed Augustus on May 16, 218 A.D. After a brief battle in early June, Macrinus and his legions were defeated, leaving the 15 year old boy emperor while his mother and grandmother were the real power behind the throne. Not long after arriving in Rome in the summer of 219 and his marriage to Julia Paula, Elagabalus' regime became a mix of religious fanaticism and sexual depravity, something which was only encouraged by his mother Julia Soemias. And despite the fact that many stories about his reign are undoubtedly exaggerated by unreliable historians, it became clear to Julia Maesa that her grandson Elagabalus as well as her eldest daughter were alienating both the Roman people and the legions. To remedy the situation she managed to get Elagabalus' cousin Alexius (now renamed Alexander) appointed to the rank of Caesar during the summer of 221 A.D. When Elagabalus tried to undo this appointment almost a year later, the troops wouldn't stand for it and he and Soaemias were killed by the praetorian guard on March 6, 222, leaving Severus Alexander and his mother Julia Mamaea in control of the purple. (Contributed by Jan de Veen)

The Antoniniani

Silver Antoninianus (21mm, 5.43gr), Struck 218 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: P M TR P COS P P Roma seated left holding Victory and scepter, shield at side. RIC 1, RSC 126, Sear 7493 Derrick Jewell Collection

Silver Antoninianus (22mm, 5.00gr), Struck 219 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: PROVID DEORVM Providentia, standing front, head-left, leaning against column, legs crossed, holding wand over globe at her feet and cornucopiae. RIC 129, RSC 243, Sear 7497 Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Antoninianus (22mm, 5.49gr), Struck 219 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: VICTOR ANTONINI AVG Victory running right holding wreath and palm. RIC 155, RSC 291a, Sear 7500 var. Mark Lehman Collection

The Denarii

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.21gr), Struck 220 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate and draped bust right Rev: P M TR P III COS III P P Sol advancing left, raising right hand and holding whip in left, star in left field. RIC 28, RSC 153, Sear 7533 Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.7gr), Struck 221 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate head right Rev: P M TR P IIII COS III P P Providentia standing left, holding wand over globe at her feet and cornucopiae, star in left field. RIC 42, RSC 189b, Sear 7534 Kevin Ingleston Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.98gr), Struck 222 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate and draped bust right Rev: P M TR P V COS IIII P P Elagabalus standing left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar and holding a club in left hand, star in left field. RIC 52, RSC 213a, Sear 7538 Derrick Jewell Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.97gr), Struck 219 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP CAES ANTONINVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: FIDES EXERCITVS Fides, seated left, holding eagle and standard, another standard before her. RIC 68, RSC 30a, Sear 7511 var. Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.33gr), Struck 221-222 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Horned, laureate and draped bust right Rev: INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG Elagabalus, standing front, head left, holding club, sacrificing from a patera over altar, a horn on the ground , recumbant bull behind altar, star in left field RIC 88, RSC 61, Sear 7518 Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.84gr), Struck 220 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate and draped bust right Rev: LIBERALITAS AVG II Liberalitas standing, head left, holding abacus and cornucopiae set on base. RIC 100, RSC 81a, Sear 7521 var. Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Denarius (18mm, 3.37gr), Struck 221-222 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Horned, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAG Elagabalus standing right sacrificing from patera over altar and holding cypress branch, star in right field. RIC 131, RSC 246, Sear 7542 Mark Lehman Collection

Silver Denarius, Struck 221-222 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Horned, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAG Elagabalus standing right sacrificing from patera over altar and holding cypress branch, star in right field. RIC 131, RSC 246, Sear 7542 David B. Wilber Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.82gr), Struck 221-222 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Horned, laureate and draped bust right Rev: SVMMVS SACERDOS AVG Elagabalus standing half-left, sacrificing from patera over tripod altar and holding cypress branch  in left hand, star in left field. RIC 146, RSC 276 var, Sear 7549 Jan de Veen Collection

Silver Denarius (19mm, 2.76gr), Struck 219 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP CAES ANTONINVS AVG Laureate and draped bust right Rev: VICTOR ANTONINI AVG Victory running right holding wreath and palm. RIC 153, RSC 293, Sear 7553 Jan de Veen Collection

 The Sestertii

Orichalcum Sestertius (33mm, 23.88gr), Struck 220 A.D. in Rome Obv: IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS PIVS AVG Laureate and draped bust right Rev: P M TRP III COS III P P, S C Elagabalus seated left on curule chair holding globe and scepter, star in right field. RIC 304, Sear 7574 Mark Lehman Collection

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