Chapter XI

Elagabalus’ piety, 267. Constantine the opponent of other monotheisms,
268. Theories of religion, 269. Civilised religion becomes
philosophical, 269. Rome both atheist and credulous, 270. Civic
religion leaves the forces of sex and superstition out of count, 270.
Gods always necessary to the superstitious, the more mystical the
more attractive, 271. Semitic rituals attract the mob, 273. Elagabal
exclusive and absorbs other cults, 273. Elagabalus’ scheme Erastian,
compared with Tudor conception, 273. Elagabalus will not persecute,
276. Religion and castration, 276. Elagabalus no idolator, 277. His
mistake in trying to amalgamate the hated Judaism with Roman deities,
277. Marriages of Elagabal, 278. Human sacrifices discussed, 280. The
column for the meteorite, 281. Contest between religion and dogma,
282. The numbers of the mob prevail against the rationalists, 284.
Rome bored with all Gods, hence Elagabalus’ failure, 285.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 289

INDEX 299

LIST OF COINS

FACING PAGE

Coin of Antoninus Pius, struck at Emesa (British Museum) 26

Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla) (British Museum) 26

Medal of Julia Domna Pia, Empress (British Museum) 40

Coin of Julia Maesa Augusta (British Museum) 40

Coin of Julia Soaemias Augusta (British Museum) 40

Coin of Julia Mamaea Augusta (British Museum) 40

Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla) (British Museum) 60

Coin of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Elagabalus) (British Museum) 60

Coin of Macrinus recording Victoria Parthica, A.D. 218. (From a
woodcut) 60

Coin of Diadumenianus as Emperor, A.D. 218 (British Museum) 60

Coin of A.D. 219 commemorating the arrival of Elagabalus in Rome
(British Museum) 110

Liberalitas II. Coin struck in A.D. 219 for the Emperor’s marriage
with Julia Cornelia Paula. (From the collection of Sir James S.
Hay, K.C.M.G.) 110

Coin struck in A.D. 219 concerning the grain supply (British
Museum) 110

Coin struck in A.D. 219 to commemorate the Emperor’s recovery
(British Museum) 110

Thyatira Coin of Elagabalus (British Museum) 142

Coin struck to commemorate Alexianus’ adoption, A.D. 221
(British Museum) 142

Coin struck to commemorate Alexander as Pont. Max., A.D. 221
(British Museum) 142

Jovi Ultiori. The Eliogabalium as reconsecrated to Jupiter,
A.D. 224. (From a woodcut) 174

Coin struck to commemorate the Procession of Elagabal, A.D. 221
(British Museum) 174

Coin of A.D. 221 representing the Eliogabalium. (From a
photogravure) 174

Coin of A.D. 220, misread by Cohen as T.P. III Cos. IIII
(British Museum) 196

Coin of A.D. 221, misread by Cohen as T.P. IIII Cos. IIII
(British Museum) 196

Coin of A.D. 222 (British Museum) 196

Coin of Julia Cornelia Paula Augusta (British Museum) 216

Coin of Julia Cornelia Paula Augusta, A.D. 220-21 (British Museum) 216

Coin of Julia Aquilia Severa Augusta, A.D. 220-21 (British Museum) 216

Coin of Annia Faustina Augusta, A.D. 221-22 (British Museum) 216

Coin of Julia Aquilia Severa Augusta, A.D. 221-22 (British Museum) 216