Brewer's: Elagabalus

A Syro-Phænician sun-god, represented under the form of a huge conical stone. The Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, was so called because in childhood he was priest of the Sun-god. Of all the Roman emperors none exceeded him in debauchery and sin. He reigned about four years (B.C. 218-222), and died at the age of eighteen. This madman invited the principal men of Rome to a banquet, and smothered them in a shower of roses.

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