Elagabalus is now celebrated as "the first transgender emperor of Rome", raising questions of the limits of tolerance in the Ancient Greco-Roman world: did he cross some line that Nero never crossed? And was that line sexual, religious or political? Why is it that Elagabalus would be remembered as the lowest of the low by Roman historians who had already narrated the excesses (gay, straight and bisexual) of Nero and so many others? Why would Elagabalus have his name scraped off of monuments at the command of the senate after his death, while others who'd committed worse offenses would undergo apotheosis, and instead be referred to as gods?

Episode 02 of Doomed Republic: a podcast about ancient ideals, modern utopias, dystopias and attempts at democracy, including Greece, Rome China, India, Europe and America. (AR+IO-005)

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AR+IO abbreviates the motto "Active Research and Informed Opinion", providing consistent numbering for all of the episodes (AR+IO-001, etc.) hosted by Eisel Mazard across many different podcasts, and united by one Patreon. Eisel is better known as Zel from Ashdod, and was formerly known as the voice (and author) behind the (banned) youtube channel à-bas-le-ciel.