Editing Elagabalus (section)

==Family and priesthood==
{{Further|Severan dynasty family tree}}
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Elagabalus was born in 203 or 204,{{efn|[[Herodian]], who lived during Elagabalus' reign, writes that he and Alexander were "about fourteen and ten, respectively" in May 218.{{sfn|Herodian|loc=[https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/herodian_05_book5.htm 5.3.3]}} The ''[[Epitome de Caesaribus]]'', written over a century later, states that "he lived sixteen years", while Alexander died in his "twenty-sixth year".<ref>''Epitome de Caesaribus'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20220311020340/http://www.roman-emperors.org/epitome.htm 23, 24]</ref> Only the latter figure coincides with Herodian, and it is unclear if they are using regular or [[inclusive counting]].}} to [[Sextus Varius Marcellus]] and [[Julia Soaemias|Julia Soaemias Bassiana]],{{sfn|Scott|2018|pp=83–84}} who had probably married around the year 200 (and no later than 204).{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=119}}{{sfn|Scott|2018|p=84}} Elagabalus's full birth name was probably (Sextus) Varius Avitus Bassianus,{{efn|For a detailed discussion of his nomenclature, see {{harvtxt|de Arrizabalaga y Prado|2010|p=231}}}} the last name being apparently a [[cognomen]] of the [[Emesene dynasty]].{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=59}} Marcellus was an [[Equites|equestrian]], later elevated to a [[Roman Senate|senatorial]] position<!-- (though sources disagree on exactly when he assumed his various offices, and even on when he died, between 213 and 217)-->.{{sfn|Scott|2018|pp=83–84}}<ref name="Blois">Lukas de Blois, ''Image and Reality of Roman Imperial Power in the Third Century AD'', 2018, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=1wtpDwAAQBAJ&dq=Sextus+Varius+Marcellus+Equites+OR+Equestrian+Senator&pg=PT72 72] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014144817/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Image_and_Reality_of_Roman_Imperial_Powe/1wtpDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Sextus+Varius+Marcellus+Equites+OR+Equestrian+Senator&pg=PT72&printsec=frontcover |date=14 October 2020 }}</ref>{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=119}} Julia Soaemias was a cousin of the emperor [[Caracalla]], and there were rumors (which Soaemias later publicly supported) that Elagabalus was Caracalla's child.<ref name="Blois"/><ref name="Lightman">Marjorie Lightman, Benjamin Lightman (2008), ''A to Z of Ancient Greek and Roman Women'', p. 174</ref>

Marcellus's tombstone attests that Elagabalus had at least one sibling, possibly a brother,<ref>Anthony R. Birley, ''Septimius Severus: The African Emperor'', pp. 217, 222–223</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.livius.org/articles/person/varius-marcellus |title=Sextus Varius Marcellus |website=Livius |access-date=2 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810194509/https://www.livius.org/articles/person/varius-marcellus/ |archive-date=10 August 2020}}</ref> about whom nothing is known.{{sfn|Scott|2018|p=84}} Elagabalus's grandmother, [[Julia Maesa]], was the widow of the [[Roman consul|consul]] [[Gaius Julius Avitus Alexianus|Julius Avitus Alexianus]], the sister of [[Julia Domna]], and the sister-in-law of the emperor [[Septimius Severus]].{{sfn|Scott|2018|pp=83–84}}{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=119}} Other relatives included Elagabalus's aunt [[Julia Avita Mamaea]] and uncle [[Marcus Julius Gessius Marcianus]] and their son [[Severus Alexander]].{{sfn|Scott|2018|pp=83–84}}

Elagabalus's family held hereditary rights to the priesthood of the sun god [[Elagabalus (deity)|Elagabal]], of whom Elagabalus was the [[high priest]] at Emesa (modern [[Homs]]) in [[Roman Syria]] as part of the Arab [[Emesene dynasty]].{{sfn|Ball|2000|pp=35–37, 412}} The deity's Latin name, "Elagabalus", is a Latinized version of the [[Arabic language|Arabic]] إِلٰهُ الْجَبَلِ ''Ilāh al-Jabal'', from ''ilāh'' ("god") and ''jabal'' ("mountain"), meaning "God of the Mountain",<ref>''The Journal of Juristic Papyrology'', volume 23, p. 116: "und mit palmyrenischer Inschrift "Gott Berg" steht die umstrittene Etymologie des Namens "Elagabal" (ilah ha-gabal) fest"</ref> the Emesene manifestation of [[Baal|Ba'al]].{{sfn|Ball|2000|p=37}}

Initially venerated at Emesa, the deity's cult spread to other parts of the Roman Empire in the second century; a dedication has been found as far away as [[Woerden]] (in the [[Netherlands]]), near the Roman ''[[Limes (Roman Empire)|limes]]''.<ref>"[https://www.livius.org/sources/content/the-woerden-elagabal-inscription/ The Woerden Elagabal Inscription] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808040115/https://www.livius.org/sources/content/the-woerden-elagabal-inscription/ |date=8 August 2020 }}" at [[Livius.org]]; the inscription is now in Woerden's [http://www.stadsmuseumwoerden.nl/ city museum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528161711/http://www.stadsmuseumwoerden.nl/ |date=28 May 2010 }}.</ref> The god was later imported to Rome and assimilated with the sun god known as [[Sol (Roman mythology)|Sol Indiges]] in the era of the [[Roman Republic]] and as [[Sol Invictus]] during the late third century.<ref>{{cite web |author=Devlaminck, Pieter |title=De Cultus van Sol Invictus: Een vergelijkende studie tussen keizer Elagabalus (218–222) en keizer Aurelianus (270–275) |publisher=University of Ghent |year=2004 |language=nl |url=http://www.ethesis.net/invictus/invictus_inhoud.htm | access-date=7 August 2007 | archive-date=16 August 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816193605/http://www.ethesis.net/invictus/invictus_inhoud.htm | url-status=live}}</ref> In Greek, the sun god is [[Helios]], hence Elagabal was later known as "Heliogabalus", a hybrid of "Helios" and "Elagabalus".{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=227}}