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The Mad Emperor
Heliogabalus and the Decadence of Rome
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The Mad Emperor
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
The Mad Emperor
What happens when you put the Roman Empire in the hands of a teenage boy? The life and times of the worst Roman emperor of all.
Teenager. Religious fanatic. Prostitute. The life and times of the worst Roman emperor you’ve never heard of.
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Description
On 8 June AD 218, a fourteen-year-old Syrian boy led an army into battle during a Roman civil war. Rallying his retreating troops in person, against all expectations, he was victorious.
Varius Avitus Bassianus, known to the modern world as Heliogabalus, was proclaimed emperor. The following four years were to be the strangest in the history of the empire.
Heliogabalus humiliated prestigious senators and threw extravagant dinner parties for his lower-class friends. He ousted Jupiter from his summit among the gods and replaced him with Elagabal. He married a Vestal Virgin—twice. Rumours abounded that he was a prostitute, that he enjoyed sex with men, and that he wanted his physicians to give him a vagina. His contemporaries were unanimous: Heliogabalus was the worst emperor ever. For Antonin Artaud, his life was ‘anarchy in action’.
But we have forgotten all about him. How did a teenager from an obscure imperial outpost rise to the very top? In the first biography of Heliogabalus in over half a century, The Mad Emperor, Harry Sidebottom unveils the high drama of sex, religion, power, and culture in Ancient Rome as we have never seen it before.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Mad Emperor by Harry Sidebottom receives praise for its engaging and entertaining narrative that skilfully combines scholarly insight with vibrant storytelling. Reviewers highlight the book's ability to bring the wild and often misunderstood times of Heliogabalus to life through its depiction of the decadence, politics, and culture of third-century Rome. The author is commended for his expertise in ancient history and his ability to present a nuanced and captivating portrayal of a controversial emperor.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780861542536
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 06 October 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oneworld Publications
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 153.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Dr Harry Sidebottom teaches Ancient History at Lincoln College, Oxford. Since publication of Fire in the East in 2008, he has written and published a novel each year, all of which have been Sunday Times top 5 bestsellers. His Warrior of Rome series has been published in 14 countries. Harry is also the editor of the forthcoming Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Ancient Battles.
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