74 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



jtcrtuined tlu- air. Ail the ])eo[)]e imploivd the g'oddess to enter the city 

 as a tViend, and to look on the Roman state with a favouring eye. Thus 

 tliey ])laeeil the Idaan motlier in the temple of Yictor}^ and enriched her 

 with aliundant gifts. AVe liave no data concerning the shape, size, weight 

 or general appearance of this stone, luit we can infer from the above 

 that it Avas a comparatively small fragment, of perhaps thirty pounds in 

 weight. It is reported, though not hy Liv}', that an image had been 

 made in a female form and dress, and the stone placed on it for a head 

 or face. This was probably a true aerolite. 



There is no room to doubt the meteoric origin of the great black 

 stone of Emesa, Syria, for it is described with scientitic precision by 

 Herodian. This was worshipped with divine honour b}^ the natives of 

 the locality, Avhile neighbouring kings and satraps sent annual presents 

 of gold and silver and precious stones to adorn the great temple in which 

 it was housed. At the beginning of the third century, a. d., this god- 

 mountain. El Gabal. was being served by a handsome lad of some four- 

 teen summers, with dances and the music of cymbals, flutes and drums, 

 the young priest being arrayed in richly embroidered garments of cloth 

 of gold, when the Koman legionaries were by intrigues it is not now 

 protitaljle to recount led to proclaim him imperator. The stone was cone- 

 shaped, probably like an old-fashioned sugar-loaf. It stood on the round 

 end and tapered to a point. It had upon its surface small bumps 

 (^aSoxfxs fipaxsla^) and indentations (TV7tov>). Its crust was black 

 {/uéXaivà re >} j/;o/fv). There wei-e marks u])on it thought to indicate 

 the figure of the god. (Query — von Widmanstiltten lines ?) And it was 

 held in reverence because it had fallen from heaven {ôwneT)) re txvrov 

 eirat fftf.iyoXo)/()V()/.F). As the young enthusiast could not well get to 

 Eome at once, he sent a great painting of the stone and himself in the 

 act of adoration, which was put up "by his orders above the statue of 

 \'ictoiy in the senate chamber. The year after he entered Eome and 

 l)uilt a magniticent temple for this strange god, Avhose image, unlike those 

 of (rreek and Ikoman gods, was not made with hands. He had Syrian 

 maidens dance and musicians circle in procession round it. Hecatombs 

 of victims he sacrificed before it, cattle and sheep. Rivulets of the Ijest 

 and oldest Avines mingled with their blood. The chief officers of the army 

 and of the state assisted, in barbaric costume, to elevate above theii* 

 lieads the golden vessels used in the ceremonies, while in a wondering 

 ring stood all that was noblest in the Eternal City. Those who smiled or 

 darcij to scoff were mercilessly slain. Every officiating pi-iest of other 

 gods had to preface his litany Avith the name of Elagabalus. When the 

 stone Avas brought into the city it Avas in a chariot adorned profusel}' Avith 

 gems and precious metals ; the horses, Avhite. Avei-e led — no mortal being 

 allowed to drive — and the emperor himself Avalked backAvard in front of 

 the aerolite, as l»eing Avishful to gaze uninterruptedly at the divine 



