He negotiated a peace settlement in Romes favor. Cassius Dio recorded one incident where, after becoming tired out, Commodus ordered a cup of chilled wine to him and drank it at one gulp. In an amusing anecdote, Dio continued, At this both the populace and we senators all immediately shouted out the words so familiar at drinking-bouts, Long life to you!'. It is the type of death indicative of Commodus notoriety as an emperor, which is fundamental to Gladiators plot, but the film is imaginative in its depiction of his death to provide closure to Maximus. His tale was not believed and he was immediately put to death. [40][41] For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million sesterces, straining the Roman economy. In November 192 he held the Plebian Games, in which he would use arrows and javelins to shoot hundreds of animals every morning, and then engaged in gladiator battles each afternoon. The emperor Titus Flavian completed the Colosseum and endeared himself to the public with his generosity only to have his good works undone by his brother Domitian, who was assassinated by his own court. Only a famous death will do. Early in 188, Cleander disposed of the current praetorian prefect, Atilius Aebutianus, and took over supreme command of the Praetorian Guard at the new rank of a pugione ("dagger-bearer"), with two praetorian prefects subordinate to him. A work of history that reads like fiction, The Gladiator brings to life Spartacus, Commodus, Caligula, and all of the other memorable players of the nearly thousand-year-long gladiatorial era. Russell Crowe's Maximus asks the crowd "Are you not entertained?" Composite Character: Maximus, compared to real life. Intrigues and conspiracies abounded, leading Commodus to revert to an increasingly dictatorial style of leadership, culminating in his creating a deific personality cult, with his performing as a gladiator in the Colosseum. Corrections? He served jointly with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until the latter's death in 180, and thereafter he reigned alone until his assassination. Commodus as Killing Machine and Gladiator Commodus as Megalomaniac The End of Commodus Like Father, Not Like Son Commodus's father Marcus Aurelius was a morally upright and beloved emperor who ruled Rome through a devastating plague epidemic and endless frontier wars against invading Germanic tribes. Disdaining the more philosophic inclinations of his father, Commodus was extremely proud of his physical prowess. Roman Emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus was a corrupt ruler who was not well-received by the Roman people during his reign. It's ironic that we watched the film Gladiator the other night. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. His twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antonius, died at age four. It worked and the Nerva-Antonine dynasty which had ruled Rome for nearly a century had come to an end and the city soon descended into civil war. Commodus subsequently accompanied his father on a lengthy trip to the Eastern provinces, during which he visited Antioch. In April 175, Avidius Cassius, Governor of Syria, declared himself emperor following rumours that Marcus Aurelius had died. Commodus's death marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. [4] Commodus was supposedly in a drunken stupor after Marcia had poisoned him[1] and Narcissus proceeded to strangle his master in his bathtub[1] or, according to Herodian, in his bed.[3]. Commodus, in full Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, original name (until 180 ce) Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, (born August 31, 161 ce, Lanuvium, Latium [now Lanuvio, Italy]died December 31, 192), Roman emperor from 177 to 192 (sole emperor after 180). This rumor was further fueled by Commodus love for engaging in gladiator battles as an adult, which led to speculation that his father was indeed a gladiator with whom Faustina had an affair. To some, this was a sign that Commodus was not actually the biological child of Aurelius, and that his mother had conceived him while engaging in an affair. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. This assassination attempt was successful, and both Commodus reign as Roman Emperor, and his life, ended on the final day of 192. It seems likely that he was raised in an atmosphere of Stoic asceticism, which he rejected entirely upon his accession to sole rule. Commodus was the tenth of fourteen children born to Aurelius and was ultimately the only surviving son. In the contest, Maximus is a victim of foul play as Commodus preemptively wounds him, then later produces a blade. He was co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until his father's death in 180. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/128108/Commodus, Lucius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. ( Public Domain ). First, she attempted to kill him by poisoning his food. [10] Among his teachers, Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus are mentioned.[10][11]. "Commodus' progeny will rule Rome!" "Back!" yelled the Praetorian guard. The latter is what has made the movie timeless. [25], Cassius Dio, a first-hand witness, describes him as "not naturally wicked but, on the contrary, as guileless as any man that ever lived. The Romans were outraged when Commodus would order wounded soldiers and amputees into the arena to be slayed. Gladiator is somewhat historically accurate in its final scenes, as Commodus did perform as a gladiator. While Lucilla did actually try to orchestrate Commodus' assassination, there's no historical evidence of his disturbing attraction to her or their highly tempestuous relationship as depicted in the movie. Dio Cassius 73.10.2, Loeb edition translated E. Cary. Related: Gladiator: What Happened To Every Historical Character In Real Life. He was left-handed and very proud of the fact. But wait, wasn't Commodus killed by a Gladiator? Commodus is commonly regarded as being an inadequate and megalomaniacal emperor, but Gladiators distortion of history portrays him as exclusively and resolutely evil. And the wise Marcus Aurelius, known as the Philosopher and the last of the Five Good Emperors, would be succeeded by his son Commodus, whose descent into madness would be immortalized throughout the millennia (including a heavily fictionalized account in the popular 2000 film Gladiator). Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. In hindsight, he should have kept the tradition of adopting his successor, which would have resulted in an appointment based on merit. This ancient Roman biographical article is a stub. His tumultuous reign as emperor was the starting point for a period of Roman history that is viewed as having been filled with chaos and decline. Didius Julianus, the future emperor and a relative of Salvius Julianus, was dismissed from the governorship of Germania Inferior. Soon after he became sole ruler, Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. Upon his death, the Senate declared him a public enemy (a de facto damnatio memoriae) and restored the original name of the city of Rome and its institutions. Commodus was also known for fighting exotic animals in the arena, often to the horror and disgust of the Roman populace. [38] Cassius Dio claimed that citizens of Rome who were missing their feet through accident or illness were taken to the arena, where they were tethered together for Commodus to club to death while pretending they were giants. Maximus is given a very clear ending, but what about the rest of Rome? Commodus : The general who became a slave. Commodus butchered dozens of animals in single appearances at the Colosseum on other occasions. The legions were renamed Commodianae, the fleet which imported grain from Africa was termed Alexandria Commodiana Togata, the Senate was entitled the Commodian Fortunate Senate, his palace and the Roman people themselves were all given the name Commodianus, and the day on which these reforms were decreed was to be called Dies Commodianus. After a failed assassination attempt in 182, however, his rule became erratic and brutal, and he imagined himself to be Hercules. In the story of Gladiator, the Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the evil Emperor Commodus. Bust of Commodus as Hercules, hence the lion skin and the club. [27] Another event, as recorded by the historian Aelius Lampridius, took place at the Roman baths at Terme Taurine, where the emperor had an attendant thrown into an oven after he had found his bathwater to be lukewarm. It is uncertain whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman. Ultimately, it is believed that Commodus outlandish behavior led to his eventual assassination. Unfortunately, the damage to Rome was already done. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. Commodus reign is commonly regarded as the beginning of the Roman Empires decline, and he is a natural choice for the primary antagonist of Gladiator. One of these is Commodus' relationship with his sister Lucilla. We'll explain. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. Omissions? Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. Commodus Roman Emperor In Power Nov 27, 176 - Dec 31, 192 Born Aug 31, 161Lanuvium, Italy Died Dec 31, 192 (aged 31)Rome, Italy Wife Bruttia Crispina Father Marcus Aurelius Mother Faustina the Younger Lucius Aurelius Commodus was born in Lanuvium, near Rome, on August 31, 161. Aurelius himself, and the four emperors that had preceded him, had all been adopted. He also devalued Roman currency, reducing the weight of the denarius and reducing the purity of silver. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Commodus is known to have been at Carnuntum, the headquarters of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars, in 172. Commodus, The Unhinged Roman Emperor Who Went Mad With Power, Commodus exposes Lucillas plot in this scene from. Later that year he adopted as his full style Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Augustus Herculeus Romanus Exsuperatorius Amazonius Invictus Felix Pius (the order of some of these titles varies in the sources). As a result, Commodus appeared even more rarely in public, preferring to live on his estates. Wife of M. Annius Libo: Levick (2014), p. 163. Commodus received extensive tutoring by a multitude of teachers with a focus on intellectual education. Ulpius Marcellus was replaced as governor of Britain by Pertinax; brought to Rome and tried for treason, Marcellus narrowly escaped death. She believes that only by understanding where we come from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose. During 191, the city of Rome was extensively damaged by a fire that raged for several days, during which many public buildings including the Temple of Pax, the Temple of Vesta, and parts of the imperial palace were destroyed. He also had the head of the Colossus of Nero adjacent to the Colosseum replaced with his own portrait, gave it a club, placed a bronze lion at its feet to make it look like Hercules Romanus, and added an inscription boasting of being "the only left-handed fighter to conquer twelve times one thousand men".[23]. Striking story! It's fair to say the audience is pretty attached to Maximus by the end of "Gladiator." One such notable event was the attempted extermination of the house of the Quinctilii. Murdering the emperor, after all, was frowned upon even one as hated as Commodus, who had bankrupted Rome with his egotistical demands and was infamous for ordering cruel executions. Commodus also had a passion for gladiatorial combat, which he took so far as to take to the arena himself, dressed as a secutor. Reigning from 180 to 192 A.D., Commodus all but ignored his official duties. Lucilla was exiled to Capri and later killed. He executed the two would-be assassins along with a group of prominent senators who were also allegedly involved while Lucilla was exiled to Capri before also being killed on her brothers orders a year later. A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. The historian Herodian, a contemporary, described Commodus as an extremely handsome man. The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves . Striking story! [30] On his father's death in 180, Commodus changed this to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Commodus, before changing back to his birth name in 191.[1]. The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. Commodus was made coruler when he was just 16 years old, and he was emperor before he turned 19. Instead, he devoted himself to his harem of 300 females and a like number of males, played gladiator at Rome's. Ser. Perhaps seeing this as an opportunity, early in 192 Commodus, declaring himself the new Romulus, ritually re-founded Rome, renaming the city Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana. A grateful Senate proclaimed a new emperorthe city prefect, Publius Helvius Pertinaxbut the empire quickly slipped into civil war. Also, in Britain in 184, the governor Ulpius Marcellus re-advanced the Roman frontier northward to the Antonine Wall, but the legionaries revolted against his harsh discipline and acclaimed another legate, Priscus, as emperor. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. The latter eventually would be used as a conventional title by Roman emperors, starting about a century later, but Commodus seems to have been the first to assume it.[31]. They then returned to Rome in the autumn of 176. Bestowing the imperial title of Caesar upon Commodus at such a young age further shows Aurelius desperation for Commodus to be viewed and treated as royalty. Salvius and Paternus were executed along with a number of other prominent consulars and senators. Moreover, as Hercules, he could claim to be the son of Jupiter, the supreme god of the Roman pantheon. [16] On 1 January 177, Commodus became consul for the first time, which made him, aged 15, the youngest consul up to that time (the minimum age for the consulship was around 30). Faustina was the daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and was Aurelius first cousin. In November 192, Commodus held Plebeian Games, in which he shot hundreds of animals with arrows and javelins every morning, and fought as a gladiator every afternoon, winning all the fights. Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. The fall of Perennis brought a new spate of executions: Aufidius Victorinus committed suicide. The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and his death during Maximus final fight in the Colosseum is an example of the films historical inaccuracy. In 182 A.D., Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. 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Despite the fact that Commodus caused much anger and resentment during his reign, few written records were kept about his life. The gladiator who defied an emperor. www.alexanderdoddy.com. Commodus had an elder twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus, who died in 165. Commodus remained with the Danube armies for only a short time before negotiating a peace treaty with the Danubian tribes. His mother was Annia Galeria Faustina, a member of the Roman nobility and the daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius. Wikimedia CommonsEmperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. However, the following year, a detachment of soldiers from Britain (they had been drafted to Italy to suppress brigands) also denounced Perennis to the emperor as plotting to make his own son emperor (they had been enabled to do so by Cleander, who was seeking to dispose of his rival), and Commodus gave them permission to execute him as well as his wife and sons. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Gladiator is clearly influenced by aspects of history, but its specific storyline is definitively imaginative. In fact, the rule of Commodus might have gone down as quite unremarkable in the history of Rome were it not for one unfortunate incident. As disgusted as the senators were by the sight of their emperor running around half-naked in the sands of the amphitheater, they were too terrified to do anything but play along. The megalomania of Commodus was not limited to the Colosseum. The Libyan-born Septimius Severus has gone down in history as the first African Emperor of Rome . 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Wikimedia CommonsA bust of Roman Emperor Commodus, styled as if he were a reincarnation of Hercules, which is precisely what he believed himself to be. He also reduced the silver purity from 79percent to 76percent the silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams. Understanding the Mysterious Kingdom of Shambhala, The Irish Story and Legend of C Chulainn, Alleged Sighting of the Mythical Manananggal in the Philippines Causes Public Anxiety, Aluxes: The Mischievous Little People of Maya Mythology, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth: Ancient Origins of the Often Used Legend Part I, A Blazing Weapon: Unraveling the Mystery of Greek Fire, Medieval Hygiene Might Have Been Better Than You Think, New Evidence Shows Humans Were Using Bows and Arrows in 52,000 BC. His body was buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. All the months of the year were renamed to correspond exactly with his (now twelve) names: Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Herculeus, Romanus, Exsuperatorius, Amazonius, Invictus, Felix, and Pius. The Horsemen of Oyo were legendary warriors who served the Oyo Empire of West Africa. Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p.7. Speidel, "Commodus the God-Emperor and the Army,", This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 22:16. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was the . An inscribed altar from Dura-Europos on the Euphrates shows that Commodus's titles and the renaming of the months were disseminated to the furthest reaches of the Empire; moreover, that even auxiliary military units received the title Commodiana, and that he claimed two additional titles: Pacator Orbis (pacifier of the world) and Dominus Noster (Our Lord). 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