{"product_id":"book-hklu","title":"The Mad Emperor","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBBC History\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eSpectator\u003c\/i\u003e Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOn 8 June 218 AD, a fourteen-year-old Syrian boy, egged on by his grandmother, led an army to battle in a Roman civil war. Against all expectations, he was victorious.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVarius Avitus Bassianus, known to the modern world as Heliogabalus, was proclaimed emperor. The next four years were to be the strangest in the history of the empire.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeliogabalus humiliated the prestigious Senators and threw extravagant dinner parties for lower-class friends. He ousted Jupiter from his summit among the gods and replaced him with Elagabal. He married a Vestal Virgin—twice. Rumors abounded that he was a prostitute. In the first biography of Heliogabalus in over half a century, Harry Sidebottom unveils the high drama of sex, religion, power, and culture in Ancient Rome as we've never seen it before.","brand":"Tantor","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49354706714928,"sku":"BDhklu","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio CD","offer_id":49354706780464,"sku":"ZEhklu","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio MP3-CD","offer_id":49354706846000,"sku":"ZMhklu","price":45.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/hklu-Square-cover.jpg?v=1780358807","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-hklu","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}