Elagabalus /ˌɛləˈɡæbələs/ or Heliogabalus (Greek: Μάρκος Αυρήλιος Αντωνίνος Αύγουστος; 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 Latin, Elagabalus) in the hometown of his mother's family, Emesa.