 Elagabalus / <unk> / or Heliogabalus ( Greek : <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> ; Latin : Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus ; c . 203 – March 11 , 222 ) , was Roman emperor from 218 to 222 . A member of the Severan dynasty , he was Syrian , the second son of Julia Soaemias and Sextus Varius Marcellus . In his early youth he served as a priest of the god Elagabal in the hometown of his mother 's family , Emesa . As a private citizen , he was probably named Sextus Varius Avitus <unk> . Upon becoming emperor he took the name Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus . He was called Elagabalus only after his death . 
