Elagabalus in Roman Biography

El-a-ga-ba'lus or El-a-gab'a-lus, or He-H-o-gaba'lus, [Fr. Elagabale, a'lI'gS'bil', or Hei.iogab ale, 1'le'o'gi bSl',] (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,) a Roman emperor, born at Antioch in 204 A.D., was supposed to be the natural son of Caracalla. His original name was Varius Avitus Bassianus ; but, having become a priest in the Temple of the Sun, (the Syrian Elagabal,) he adopted the name of that idol. In 218 he was proclaimed by the army as successor to Caracalla, and, having defeated his rival Macrinus.he assumed the name of M. A. Antoninus. His reign was short, and was disgraced by cruelty, extravagance, and infamous vices. He was assassinated by his soldiers in 222, and was succeeded by Alexander Severus. See Tii.lemont, " Histoire des Emperenrs;" Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman " Empire;" Lampridius, "Elagabalus;" Nouvelle Biographie Generate. "