A Wily Grandmother Brings Chaos

Julia Maesa had a way of getting what she wanted.

In 218 AD, she got her grandson (later known as Elagabalus) as the Emperor of Rome.

He'd been a child priest, and forced his Sun God on Rome.

It was said he prostituted himself, and that he married a Vestal Virgin.

The Praetorians didn't like this, so they killed him on Julia Maesa's prodding.

Maesa put her other grandson, Alexander Severus, in charge, at age 13.

He would reign for 13 years, but didn't know how to lead soldiers.

So soldiers killed him.

This began The Crisis of the Third Century.