Editing Elagabalus (section)

==Rise to power==
Herodian writes that when the emperor [[Macrinus]] came to power, he suppressed the threat to his reign from the family of his assassinated predecessor, Caracalla, by exiling them—Julia Maesa, her two daughters, and her eldest grandson Elagabalus—to their estate at Emesa in [[Syria (Roman province)|Syria]].<ref name="Whittemore 33"/> Almost upon arrival in Syria, Maesa began a plot with her advisor and Elagabalus's tutor, [[Gannys]], to overthrow Macrinus and elevate the fourteen-year-old Elagabalus to the imperial throne.<ref name="Whittemore 33">Walter J. Whittemore Jr., ''Untimely Deaths by Assassination'' (2012), p. 33</ref>

Maesa spread a rumor, which Soaemias publicly supported, that Elagabalus was the illegitimate child of Caracalla<ref name="Lightman"/>{{sfn|Ball|2000|p=412}} and so deserved the loyalty of Roman soldiers and senators who had sworn allegiance to Caracalla.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=11}} The soldiers of the [[Legio III Gallica|Third Legion ''Gallica'']] at [[Raphana]], who had enjoyed greater privileges under Caracalla and resented Macrinus (and may have been impressed or bribed by Maesa's wealth), supported this claim.<ref name="Blois"/>{{sfn|Ball|2000|p=412}}{{sfn|Burns|2006|p=209}} At sunrise on 16 May 218,{{sfn|Dio|loc=Book 79.31}} Elagabalus was declared emperor by [[Publius Valerius Comazon]], commander of the legion.{{sfn|Potter|2004|p=151}} To strengthen his legitimacy, Elagabalus adopted the same name Caracalla bore as emperor, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=12}}{{sfn|Scott|2018|p=106}} Cassius Dio states that some officers tried to keep the soldiers loyal to Macrinus, but they were unsuccessful.<ref name="Blois"/>
[[File:INC-2961-r Ауреус. Элагабал. Ок. 218—219 гг. (реверс).png|thumb|Reverse of an ''[[aureus]]'' of Elagabalus, marked: {{Smallcaps|salus antonini {{abbr|aug·|AUGUSTUS}}}} ("''the Health of Antoninus Augustus''")]]
[[Praetorian prefect]] Ulpius Julianus responded by attacking the Third Legion, most likely on Macrinus's orders (though one account says he acted on his own before Macrinus knew of the rebellion).{{sfn|Scott|2018|pp=26, 89}} Herodian suggests Macrinus underestimated the threat, considering the rebellion inconsequential.{{sfn|Scott|2018|p=89}} During the fighting, Julianus's soldiers killed their officers and joined Elagabalus's forces.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=12}}

Macrinus asked the [[Roman Senate]] to denounce Elagabalus as "the False Antoninus", and they complied,{{sfn|Southern|2003|p=300}} declaring war on Elagabalus and his family.{{sfn|Burns|2006|p=209}} Macrinus made his son [[Diadumenian]] co-emperor, and attempted to secure the loyalty of the [[Legio II Parthica|Second Legion]] with large cash payments.<ref name="Kulikowski">Michael Kulikowski (2016), ''The Triumph of Empire'', p. 105</ref><ref name="Dando-Collins">Stephen Dando-Collins (2013), ''Legions of Rome'', p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=5e8RBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT324 324] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014144841/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Legions_of_Rome/5e8RBAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT324 |date=14 October 2020 }}</ref> During a banquet to celebrate this at [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]], however, a messenger presented Macrinus with the severed head of his defeated prefect Julianus.<ref name="Kulikowski"/><ref name="Dando-Collins"/>{{sfn|Scott|2018|p=26}} Macrinus therefore retreated to [[Antioch]], after which the Second Legion shifted its loyalties to Elagabalus.<ref name="Kulikowski"/><ref name="Dando-Collins"/>

Elagabalus's legionaries, commanded by Gannys, defeated Macrinus and Diadumenian and their Praetorian Guard at the [[Battle of Antioch (218)|Battle of Antioch]] on 8 June 218, prevailing when Macrinus's troops broke ranks after he fled the battlefield.<ref>Cassius Dio [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/79*.htm 79.38–39]</ref> Macrinus made for Italy, but was intercepted near [[Chalcedon]] and executed in [[Cappadocia]], while Diadumenian was captured at [[Zeugma, Commagene|Zeugma]] and executed.<ref name="Kulikowski"/>

That month, Elagabalus wrote to the Senate, assuming the imperial titles without waiting for senatorial approval,{{sfn|Southern|2003|p=58}} which violated tradition but was a common practice among third-century emperors.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=33}} Letters of reconciliation were dispatched to [[Rome]] extending [[amnesty]] to the Senate and recognizing its laws, while also condemning the administration of Macrinus and his son.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=14}}

The senators responded by acknowledging Elagabalus as emperor and accepting his claim to be the son of Caracalla.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=33}} Elagabalus was made consul for the year 218 in the middle of June.{{sfn|Kienast|1990|pp=165–170}} Caracalla and Julia Domna were both [[Imperial cult (Ancient Rome)|deified]] by the Senate, both Julia Maesa and Julia Soaemias were elevated to the rank of [[Augustus (honorific)|Augustae]],<ref name="benario-soamias-mamaea">{{cite journal |last=Benario |first=Herbert W. |title=The Titulature of Julia Soaemias and Julia Mamaea: Two Notes |journal=Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association |volume=90 |pages=9–14 |year=1959 |doi=10.2307/283691 |publisher=Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, Vol. 90 |jstor=283691}}</ref> and the memory of Macrinus was expunged by the Senate.{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=33}} (Elagabalus's imperial artifacts assert that he succeeded Caracalla directly.){{sfn|Arrizabalaga|2010|p=156}} Comazon was appointed commander of the Praetorian Guard.{{sfn|Southern|2003|p=301}}{{sfn|Icks|2011|p=20}} Elagabalus was named ''[[Pater Patriae]]'' by the Senate before 13 July 218.{{sfn|Kienast|1990|pp=165–170}} On 14 July, Elagabalus was inducted into the colleges of all the Roman priesthoods, including the [[College of Pontiffs]], of which he was named ''[[pontifex maximus]]''.{{sfn|Kienast|1990|pp=165–170}}