The Rose bed of Emperor Elagabalus

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1888

This painting is based on a probably invented episode in the life of the Roman emperor Elagabalus, also known as Heliogabalus, (204-222), taken from the Augustan History.

Elagabalus is portrayed attempting to smother his unsuspecting guests in rose-petals released from false ceiling panels.