He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors. During his solo reign, the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared with the reign of Marcus Aurelius. 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. In the famous words of noted historian Dio Cassius, Commoduss lack of interest in political affairs was the starting point for the decline of the Roman Empire, leaving Commodus responsible for initiating Romes decline "from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust. While fighting in the arena, opponents would submit to Commodus, as emperor, and their lives were spared. The first attempt used poisoned meat, but Commodus vomited it up. "Commodus' progeny will rule Rome!" "Back!" yelled the Praetorian guard. Commodus also had a passion for gladiatorial combat, which he took so far as to take to the arena himself, dressed as a secutor. [32] As mentioned above, he ordered many statues to be made showing him dressed as Hercules with a lion's hide and a club. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Commodus never killed his gladiatorial adversaries, instead accepting their surrenders. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? His great simplicity, however, together with his cowardice, made him the slave of his companions, and it was through them that he at first, out of ignorance, missed the better life and then was led on into lustful and cruel habits, which soon became second nature."[26]. The ancient Greek city of Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, was home to the main Temple of Apollo and the renowned Oracle of Delphi. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. But once Marcus Aurelius died in 180 A.D. (of natural causes, not at his sons own hand, as depicted in Gladiator), Commodus hastily made peace with the tribes so he could return to Rome to enjoy the pleasure of the capital with the servile and profligate youths whom Marcus had banished, but who soon regained their station and influence about the emperor., Despite his unusual personal tastes, Commodus at first behaved more like a typical spoiled, rich youth than a bloody dictator. [12][13][14] Commodus was the first (and until 337, the only) emperor "born in the purple," meaning during his father's reign. Herodian's Roman History F.L. Commodus did initially engage in some leadership-oriented activities, although not always in the favor of the Roman people. Maximus : You would fight me? Jack is a feature writer for Screen Rant. Aurelius pushed for Commodus to be a leader from a very young age. But wait, wasn't Commodus killed by a Gladiator? He wanted to avenge the deaths of his wife and son, as well as clear the way for the Senate to restore order in Rome. 180-192 AD. Commodus accompanied his father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, and on a tour of the Eastern provinces in 176. [7], He was looked after by his father's physician, Galen,[8][9] who treated many of Commodus's common illnesses. Throughout his reign, Commodus entrusted the management of affairs to his palace chamberlain and praetorian prefects, named Saoterus, Perennis and Cleander. Maximus : You would fight me? Commodus's death marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. However, just when the days of the mad emperors seemed long gone, Commodus brought the madness roaring back. The assassination attempt marked a turning point in Commodus reign, for once [he had] tasted human blood, he became incapable of pity or remorse. He began executing people without regard for rank, wealth, or sex. Aside from the manner of his death in Gladiator, Commodus' onscreen depiction has a few other historical reworkings that help add spice to the plot, although some changes serve to tone down the character. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was the . Political influence then passed to the emperors mistress and two advisers. 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. Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (2014), p. 164. In 186 he further reduced the purity and silver weight to 74percent and 2.22grams respectively, being 108 to the Roman pound. The ending of "Gladiator" makes it seem like Commodus' death means a new beginning for Rome. This assassination attempt was successful, and both Commodus reign as Roman Emperor, and his life, ended on the final day of 192. Commodus was the son of marcus Marcus Aurelius and later Roman Emperor. The gladiator who defied an emperor. 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. In 180 AD, Marcus Aurelius died, leaving Commodus as sole Emperor of Rome. Gibbon p. 107 "*1 Commodus killed a camelopardalis or giraffe the most useless of the quadrupeds". The Syrian-born gladiator, who rose to fame under the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117 to 138 A.D.), is best known for the length of his career, and for being awarded his freedom four times . 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). They then sent in an athlete to strangle the 31-year old emperor in his bath. Commodus ( / kmds /; [4] 31 August 161 - 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. His mother was Annia Galeria Faustina, a member of the Roman nobility and the daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius. Was this German silver mine really defended by two Roman forts and a line of "spike defenses? The slave who became a gladiator. 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. Well, kind of, but not really. "I won't be in here forever!" rasped Commodus. The benevolent emperor Claudius, who improved Rome with public works, was followed by his stepson Nero, who some say burned Rome to the ground. Maximus defeat of Commodus provides a dramatic conclusion to Gladiator, but the depiction of the malevolent emperors death is historically inaccurate. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Despite the unfair circumstances, Maximus is victorious, killing Commodus with the very blade the emperor had concealed. Then, discover the most fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Cleander proceeded to concentrate power in his own hands and to enrich himself by becoming responsible for all public offices: he sold and bestowed entry to the Senate, army commands, governorships, and increasingly, even the suffect consulships to the highest bidder. Augustus was about the same age when he first assumed political power, but Commodus was no Augustus. Gracchus and Commodus stared evenly at eachother, with mutual hatred. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Commoduss father was Marcus Aurelius, an emperor who presided over what has been regarded as one of ancient Romes golden ages. The latter is what has made the movie timeless. schizoform/ CC BY 2.0 Painting, Hercules and the Hydra, Public Domain, Commodus Encyclopaedia Britannica. Now at the zenith of his power, Cleander continued to sell public offices as his private business. Aurelius physician, Galen, was tasked with looking after Commodus to ensure that he stayed healthy and well. On 31 December 192 AD, Commodus's concubine[2] and conspirator Marcia poisoned Commodus's wine. Man in Peru Caught Out Drinking With an 800-year-old Mummy! Statues of Commodus were demolished. After a failed assassination attempt in 182, however, his rule became erratic and brutal, and he imagined himself to be Hercules. The gladiator who defied an emperor. In the spring of 190, Rome was afflicted by a food shortage, for which the praefectus annonae Papirius Dionysius, the official actually in charge of the grain supply, contrived to lay the blame on Cleander. 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). 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. Known for their equestrian skills and bravery in battle, they played a crucial role in expanding the empire and establishing its dominance. [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. Fortunately for movie posterity, Scott came up with the idea for the gladiator's death scene during filming. His reign is commonly thought of as marking the end of a golden period of peace in the history of the Roman Empire, known as the Pax Romana. His recorded actions do tend to show a rejection of his father's policies, his father's advisers, and especially his father's austere lifestyle, and an alienation from the surviving members of his family. Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. He was left-handed and very proud of the fact. Wikimedia CommonsEmperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. The Horsemen of Oyo were legendary warriors who served the Oyo Empire of West Africa. Commodus' famous gesture, which he gives when deciding the fate of defeated gladiators Gladiator is a film invested in the concept of retribution. Aurelius himself, and the four emperors that had preceded him, had all been adopted. On November 27, 176, Aurelius promoted 15-year-old Commodus to the rank of Imperator, which some say is a role similar to commander. At the end of June, a mob demonstrated against Cleander during a horse race in the Circus Maximus: he sent the Praetorian Guard to put down the disturbances, but Pertinax, who was now City Prefect of Rome, dispatched the Vigiles Urbani to oppose them. Cleander fled to Commodus, who was at Laurentum in the house of the Quinctilii, for protection, but the mob followed him calling for his head. 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. His father was the philosopher-king, Marcus Aurelius, who The plot failed, and Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators. To "accept kinship with Commodus the bluntly pragmatic decision was taken to deify the former emperor, thus legitimizing Severus' seizure of power. The conclusion of Gladiator sees Commodus killed by Maximus in the gladiators final fight, but what are the true details of the emperors death? Ridley Scott's Gladiator famously kills off Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the end, but the original plan for the ending was very different. As a second attempt, the conspirators had Commodus wrestling partner, ironically named Narcissus, strangle Commodus in his bath. In 186 he had his chief minister executed in order to appease the army; three years later he allowed the ministers successor to be killed by a rioting crowd. [15], On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated a joint triumph. An illustration of the murder of Commmodus. They then returned to Rome in the autumn of 176. While co-emperor, Commodus became the youngest consul up until that point in Roman history. The emperor is dead, and it looks like Maximus' death might galvanize the already frustrated Senate to try to correct the damage Commodus inflicted during his rule. This horrified the Roman people. Although he's very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the . 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. However, he always spared their lives. His brutal misrule precipitated civil strife that ended 84 years of stability and prosperity within the empire. Contrary to the plot of Gladiator where Emperor Commodus is portrayed as having killed Marcus Aurelius the two ruled together, from 177 until the latters death in 180. Commodus received extensive tutoring by a multitude of teachers with a focus on intellectual education. Crowe toldEmpire magazinein 2020 that originally, Maximus survived: Crowe said he used to joke that his character would "end up running a f****** pizzeria by the Colosseum." Commodus murders his father (Richard Harris) to gain power, orders the death of war hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) in order to circumvent any possible challenge to his rule, puts the moves on his. In the same year, Pertinax unmasked a conspiracy by two enemies of Cleander Antistius Burrus (one of Commodus's brothers-in-law) and Arrius Antoninus. Only a famous death will do. Commodus subsequently accompanied his father on a lengthy trip to the Eastern provinces, during which he visited Antioch. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves . Meanwhile, Commodus was lapsing into insanity. Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson.The film was co-produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures.DreamWorks Pictures distributed the film in North America while Universal Pictures released it internationally through United International Pictures. It's fair to say the audience is pretty attached to Maximus by the end of "Gladiator." Other victims at this time were the praetorian prefect Julius Julianus, Commodus's cousin Annia Fundania Faustina, and his brother-in-law Mamertinus. 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