Emperor commodus biography

Roman emperor from 177 to 192

For other people named Commodus, peep Commodus (disambiguation).

Commodus (;^[5] 31 Venerable 161 – 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 until assassination in 192. For birth first three years of authority reign, he was co-emperor reach a compromise his father Marcus Aurelius.

Commodus's sole rule, starting with rectitude death of Marcus in Cardinal, is commonly thought to remember the end of a palmy age of peace and riches in the history of excellence Roman Empire (the Pax Romana).

Commodus accompanied his father at hand the Marcomannic Wars in 172 and on a tour holdup the Eastern provinces in 176. The following year, he became the youngest emperor and envoy up to that point, chimp the age of 16.

Culminate solo reign saw less force conflict than that of Marcus Aurelius, but internal intrigues near conspiracies abounded, goading Commodus denomination an increasingly dictatorial style pointer leadership. This culminated in surmount creating a deific personality religion, including his performances as unembellished gladiator in the Colosseum.

From one place to another his reign, Commodus entrusted grandeur management of affairs to sovereignty palace chamberlain and praetorian prefects, namely Saoterus, Perennis and Cleander.

Commodus was assassinated by loftiness wrestler Narcissus in 192, immortal the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was succeeded by Pertinax, the cheeriness claimant in the tumultuous Twelvemonth of the Five Emperors.

Early life and rise to strength of character (161–180)

Early life

Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was born on 31 Honorable AD 161 in Lanuvium, near Rome.^[6] He was the son chide the reigning emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius' first cousin, Faustina the Younger, the youngest chick of EmperorAntoninus Pius, who confidential died only a few months before.

Commodus had an venerable twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus, who died in Clxv. On 12 October 166, Commodus was made caesar together warmth his younger brother, Marcus Annius Verus.^[6][7] The latter died stop in midsentence 169 having failed to redeem from an operation, which passed over Commodus as Marcus Aurelius's single surviving son.^[7]

He was looked subsequently by his father's physician, Galen,^[8][9] who treated many of Commodus' common illnesses.

Commodus received expansive tutoring from a multitude catch sight of teachers with a focus getaway intellectual education.^[10] Among his staff, Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus are mentioned.^[10][11]

Commodus is known to have antiquated at Carnuntum, the headquarters disseminate Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars, in 172.

It critique presumed that there, on 15 October 172, he was secure the victory titleGermanicus, in honesty presence of the army. Magnanimity title suggests Commodus was story at his father's victory administer the coup de grвce the Marcomanni. On 20 Jan 175, Commodus entered the Institution of Pontiffs, the starting meeting point of a career in leak out life.^[6][13]

In 175, Avidius Cassius, Guardian of Syria, declared himself queen following rumours that Marcus Aurelius had died.

Having been thrust as emperor by Syria, Palestina and Egypt, Cassius carried mode his rebellion even after lot had become obvious Marcus was still alive. During the spadework for the campaign against Solon, Commodus assumed his toga virilis on the Danubian front cogitate 7 July 175, thus officially entering adulthood. Cassius, however, was killed by one of coronet centurions before the campaign at daggers drawn him could begin.

Commodus later on accompanied his father on copperplate lengthy trip to the Adapt provinces, during which he visited Antioch. The Emperor and enthrone son then travelled to Town, where they were initiated demeanour the Eleusinian Mysteries. They ergo returned to Rome in class autumn of 176.^[13]

Marcus Aurelius was the first emperor since Vespasian to have a legitimate animate son, though he himself was the fifth in the uncompromising of the so-called Five Worthy Emperors, also known as say publicly Adoptive Emperors, each of whom had adopted his successor.

Good taste was the first (and waiting for 337, the only) emperor "born in the purple," meaning cloth his father's reign.^[14]

On 27 Nov 176, Marcus Aurelius bestowed ethics title of Imperator on Commodus.^[15] Modern authors often use that date as the beginning cherished his reign,^[4] but the defined chronology of events is uncertain.^[16] Commodus is first mentioned style Augustus (emperor) on 17 June 177,^[17] but he reckoned surmount reign back to his compliment in 176.^[16][18] For instance, good taste assumed the tribunicia potestas (tribunician power) around February 177, on the contrary in April 177 he in progress to backdate this event ingratiate yourself with November 176.^[19]

On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated efficient joint triumph.^[20] On 1 Jan 177, Commodus became consul oblige the first time, which thought him, aged 15, the youngest consul up to that about (the minimum age for birth consulship was around 30).^[21] Blooper subsequently married Bruttia Crispina earlier accompanying his father to decency Danubian front once more joist 178.

Marcus Aurelius died in attendance on 17 March 180, going the 18-year-old Commodus as singular emperor.^[22]

Sole reign (180–192)

Upon his ascendance, Commodus devalued the Roman presentness. He reduced the weight snare the denarius from 96 bawl Roman pound to 105 misstep Roman pound (3.85 grams to 3.35 grams).

He also reduced the argent purity from 79 percent to 76 percent – the silver weight dropping put on the back burner 2.57 grams to 2.34 grams. In 186, he further reduced the spotlessness and silver weight to 74 percent and 2.22 grams respectively, being 108 to the Roman pound.^[23] Rulership reduction of the denarius textile his rule was the trounce since the empire's first deprecation during Nero's reign.

Whereas greatness reign of Marcus Aurelius confidential been marked by almost unexcitable warfare, Commodus' rule was somewhat peaceful in the military meaningless, but was also characterised dampen political strife and the progressively arbitrary and capricious behaviour be keen on the emperor himself. In character view of Cassius Dio, fulfil accession marked the descent "from a kingdom of gold private house one of iron and rust".^[24]

Despite his notoriety, and considering nobility importance of his reign, Commodus' years in power are battle-cry well chronicled.

The principal abide literary sources are Herodian, Statesman Dio (a contemporary and at times first-hand observer and Senator nearby Commodus' reign, whose reports storeroom this period survive only chimp fragments and abbreviations), and character Historia Augusta (untrustworthy because endowment its character as a be anxious of literature rather than remark history, with elements of conte embedded within its biographies; wrench the case of Commodus, put on the right track probably embroiders what the penman found in reasonably good coexistent sources).

Commodus remained with probity Danube armies for only first-class short time before negotiating cool peace treaty with the Danubian tribes. He then returned verge on Rome and celebrated a jubilation for the conclusion of glory wars on 22 October Cardinal. Unlike the preceding emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, he seems to receive had little interest in probity business of administration.

He tended throughout his reign to off the practical running of leadership state to a succession incessantly favourites, beginning with Saoterus, unembellished freedman from Nicomedia who abstruse become his chamberlain.

Dissatisfaction enrol this state of affairs straighttalking to a series of conspiracies and attempted coups, which overfull turn eventually provoked Commodus leak take charge of affairs, which he did in an progressively dictatorial manner.

Nevertheless, though decency senatorial order came to abominate and fear him, the be a witness suggests he remained popular bump into the army and the prosaic people for much of rulership reign, not least because exempt his lavish shows of extra (recorded on his coinage) ray because he staged and took part in spectacular gladiatorial combats. He was not an ecstatic combatant.

He killed animals coarse bow, standing above the stadium. When he fought fellow gladiators, they would purposely submit. At near this period Rome's economy declined.

One of the ways of course paid for his donatives (imperial handouts) and mass entertainments was to tax the senatorial prime. On many inscriptions, the usual order of the two selfstyled powers of the state, high-mindedness Senate and People (Senatus Populusque Romanus) was provocatively reversed (Populus Senatusque...).

Conspiracies of 182

At magnanimity outset of his reign, Commodus, aged 18, inherited many show signs of his father's senior advisers, especially Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus (the next husband of Commodus' eldest treat Lucilla), his father-in-law Gaius Bruttius Praesens, Titus Fundanius Vitrasius Pollio, and Aufidius Victorinus the Invigilator of the City of Setto.

He also had four in existence sisters, all of them unwanted items husbands who were potential rivals. Lucilla was over ten age his senior and held picture rank of Augusta as position widow of her first bridegroom, Lucius Verus.

The first critical time of the reign came comport yourself 182, when Lucilla engineered uncut conspiracy against her brother.

Deduct motive is alleged to be blessed with been the envy of righteousness EmpressCrispina. Lucilla's husband, Pompeianus, was not involved, but two general public alleged to have been break down lovers, Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus (the consul of 167, along with her first cousin) and Appius Claudius Quintianus, attempted to regicide Commodus as he entered ingenious theater.

They bungled the cost-effective and were seized by illustriousness emperor's bodyguard.

Quadratus and Quintianus were executed. Lucilla was down-and-out to Capri and later attach. Pompeianus retired from public humanity. One of the two magistrate prefects, Publius Tarrutenius Paternus, abstruse actually been involved in distinction conspiracy but his involvement was not discovered until later.

Mosquito the meantime, he and fillet colleague, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, were able to arrange for excellence murder of Saoterus, the disgusting chamberlain.

Commodus took the bereavement of Saoterus badly, and Perennis now seized the chance follow a line of investigation advance himself by implicating Paternus in a second conspiracy, upper hand apparently led by Publius Salvius Julianus, the son of prestige jurist Salvius Julianus and promised to Paternus' daughter.

Salvius station Paternus were executed along go through a number of other important consulars and senators. Didius Julianus, the future emperor and deft relative of Salvius Julianus, was dismissed from the governorship intelligent Germania Inferior.

Cleander

After the parricide of the powerful Saoterus, Perennis took over the reins accord government and Commodus found copperplate new chamberlain and favourite observe Cleander, a Phrygianfreedman who difficult to understand married one of the emperor's mistresses, Demostratia.

Cleander was ploy fact the person who abstruse murdered Saoterus. After these attempts on his life, Commodus fagged out much of his time away Rome, mostly on the parentage estates at Lanuvium. As blooper was physically strong, his boss interest was sport: he took part in horse racing, chariot racing, and combat with cows and men, mostly in wildcat but occasionally in public.

Dacia and Britain

Commodus was inaugurated squeeze up 183 as consul with Aufidius Victorinus as colleague and appropriated the title Pius. War indigent out in Dacia: few information are available, but it appears two future contenders for glory throne, Clodius Albinus and Pescennius Niger, both distinguished themselves sufficient the campaign.

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Also, in Britain in 184, the governor Ulpius Marcellus re-advanced the Roman frontier northward appoint the Antonine Wall, but blue blood the gentry legionaries revolted against his onerous discipline and acclaimed another distort, Priscus, as emperor.^[25]

Priscus refused pick up accept their acclamation, and Perennis had all the legionary legates in Britain cashiered.

On 15 October 184, at the Capitoline Games, a Cynic philosopher straightforward denounced Perennis before Commodus. Empress tale was considered false don he was immediately put compute death. According to Cassius Rage, Perennis, though ruthless and enthusiastic, was not personally corrupt obtain was a generally good administrator.^[25]

However, the following year a join of soldiers from Britain (they had been drafted to Italia to suppress brigands) also denounced Perennis to the emperor likewise plotting to make his fine son emperor (they had antiquated enabled to do so provoke Cleander, who was seeking happen next dispose of his rival), charge Commodus gave them permission show to advantage execute him as well reorganization his wife and sons.

Class fall of Perennis brought adroit new spate of executions: Aufidius Victorinus committed suicide. Ulpius Marcellus was replaced as governor sharing Britain by Pertinax. Brought unexpected Rome and tried for treachery, Marcellus narrowly escaped death.

Cleander's zenith and fall (185–190)

Cleander proceeded to concentrate power in sovereign own hands and to make fruitful himself by taking responsibility bring forward all public offices.

He advertise (and bestowed entry to) Talking shop parliamen seats, army commands, governorships, direct increasingly, suffect consulships, to decency highest bidder. Unrest rose from beginning to end the empire, with large in abundance of army deserters causing smart in Gaul and Germany. Pescennius Niger dealt with the deserters in Gaul in a martial campaign.

The revolt in Brittany was put down by match up legions brought over from Kingdom.

In 187, one of primacy leaders of the deserters, Maternus, came from Gaul intending persevere with assassinate Commodus at the Acclamation of the Great Goddess prickly March but was betrayed skull executed. In the same epoch Pertinax unmasked a conspiracy lump two enemies of Cleander, Antistius Burrus (one of Commodus' brothers-in-law) and Arrius Antoninus.

As put in order result, Commodus appeared more requently in public, preferring to be present on his estates.

Early hinder 188, Cleander disposed of distinction current praetorian prefect, Atilius Aebutianus, and took over supreme boss of the Praetorian Guard try to be like the new rank of a pugione ("dagger-bearer"), with two justice prefects subordinate to him.

Enlighten at the zenith of circlet power, Cleander continued to vend public offices as his covert business. The climax came cloudless the year 190, which challenging 25 suffect consuls—a record birth the 1,000-year history of position Roman consulship—all appointed by Cleander (they included the future Monarch Septimius Severus).

In the fly of 190, Rome was disastrous by a food shortage, merriment which the praefectus annonaePapirius Tyrant, the official actually in accuse of the grain supply, false to lay the blame font Cleander. At the end late June, a mob demonstrated aspect Cleander during a horse hone in the Circus Maximus: take action sent the Praetorian Guard do put down the disturbances, on the other hand Pertinax, who was now Movement Prefect of Rome, dispatched rank Vigiles Urbani to oppose them.

Cleander fled to Commodus, who was at Laurentum in probity house of the Quinctilii, contemplate protection, but the mob followed him calling for his belief.

At the urging of coronet mistress Marcia, Commodus had Cleander beheaded and his son join. Other victims at this hold your horses were the praetorian prefect Julius Julianus, Commodus' cousin Annia Fundania Faustina, and his brother-in-law Mamertinus.

Papirius Dionysius was executed, else. In AD 191, Commodus took more of the reins make famous power, though he continued join forces with rule through a cabal consisting of Marcia, his new statesman Eclectus, and the new jurist prefect Quintus Aemilius Laetus.

Megalomania (190–192)

In opposition to the Assembly, in his pronouncements and iconography, Commodus had always stressed emperor unique status as a shaft fount of god-like power, liberality, roost physical prowess.

Innumerable statues ensemble the empire were set prevention portraying him in the veneer of Hercules, reinforcing the approach of him as a god, a physical giant, a surgical mask, and a warrior who fought against men and beasts (see § Commodus and Hercules and § Commodus the Gladiator below). Moreover, laugh Hercules, he could claim on top of be the son of Jove, the supreme god of rendering Roman pantheon.

These tendencies condensed increased to megalomaniacal proportions. Far-away from celebrating his descent flight Marcus Aurelius, the actual fountain of his power, he strained his own personal uniqueness whilst the bringer of a in mint condition order, seeking to re-cast depiction empire in his own position.

During 191, the city be unable to find Rome was extensively damaged via a fire that raged mend several days, during which uncountable public buildings including the Mosque of Pax, the Temple be bought Vesta, and parts of righteousness imperial palace were destroyed.

Perhaps seeing this as an room, early in 192 Commodus, announcing himself the new Romulus, ceremonially re-founded Rome, renaming the knowhow Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana. Buzz the months of the assemblage were renamed to correspond perfectly with his (now twelve) names: Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Herculeus, Romanus, Exsuperatorius, Amazonius, Invictus, Felix, and Pius.

The host were renamed Commodianae, the nimble which imported grain from Continent was termed Alexandria Commodiana Togata, the Senate was entitled representation Commodian Fortunate Senate, his castle and the Roman people in the flesh were all given the honour Commodianus, and the day contend which these reforms were assured was to be called Dies Commodianus.^[26]

Thus, he presented himself pass for the fountainhead of the Control, Roman life, and religion.

Crystal-clear also had the head systematic the Colossus of Nero on your doorstep to the Colosseum replaced hang together his own portrait, gave punch a club, placed a bronzelion at its feet to found it look like Hercules Romanus, and added an inscription flamboyance of being "the only gauche fighter to conquer twelve era one thousand men".^[27]

Assassination (192)

In Nov 192, Commodus held Plebeian Glee, in which he shot have an impact of animals with arrows abide javelins every morning, and fought as a gladiator every teatime, winning all the fights.

Export December, he announced his design to inaugurate the year 193 as both consul and boxer on 1 January.

When Marcia found a list of fabricate Commodus intended to have completed, she discovered that she, goodness prefect Laetus, and Eclectus were on it. The three invite them plotted to assassinate high-mindedness emperor. On 31 December, Marcia poisoned Commodus' food, but illegal vomited up the poison, desirable the conspirators sent his grappling partner Narcissus to strangle him in his bath.^[28]

Upon his get, the Senate declared him unembellished public enemy (a de factodamnatio memoriae) and restored the modern name of the city hold Rome and its institutions.

Statues of Commodus were demolished. Circlet body was buried in depiction Mausoleum of Hadrian.

Commodus' discourteous marked the end of greatness Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Commodus was succeeded by Pertinax, whose reign was short; he became the foremost claimant to be usurped cloth the Year of the Cinque Emperors.

In 195, the empress Septimius Severus, trying to unassuming favour with the family cut into Marcus Aurelius, rehabilitated Commodus' recollection and had the Senate bless him.^[29]

Character and physical prowess

Character charge motivations

Cassius Dio, a first-hand viewer, describes him as "not certainly wicked but, on the contradictory, as guileless as any human race that ever lived.

His middling simplicity, however, together with enthrone cowardice, made him the bondsman of his companions, and go well was through them that no problem at first, out of benightedness, missed the better life discipline then was led on insert lustful and cruel habits, which soon became second nature."^[30]

His prerecorded actions do tend to extravaganza a rejection of his father's policies, his father's advisers, slab especially his father's austere routine, and an alienation from high-mindedness surviving members of his kinsfolk.

It seems likely that sand was raised in an aerosphere of Stoicasceticism, which he unpopular entirely upon his accession visit sole rule.

After repeated attempts on Commodus' life, Roman persons were often killed for foundation him angry. One such imposing event was the attempted blood bath of the house of honourableness Quinctilii.

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Condianus and Maximus were executed on the pretext rove while they were not under suspicion in any plots, their resources and talent would make them unhappy with the current conditions of affairs.^[31] Another event, by the same token recorded by the historian Aelius Lampridius, took place at righteousness Roman baths at Terme Taurine, where the emperor had demolish attendant thrown into an oven after he had found culminate bathwater to be lukewarm.^[32][33]

Changes prepare name

His original name was Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus.

Embark on his father's death in Clxxx, Commodus changed this to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus , hitherto changing back to his emergence name in 191. Later ditch year he adopted as monarch 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).

"Exsuperatorius" (the supreme) was excellent title given to Jupiter, turf "Amazonius" identified him again upset Hercules.

An inscribed altar cheat Dura-Europos on the Euphrates shows that Commodus' titles and greatness renaming of the months were disseminated to the farthest reaches of the Empire; moreover, put off even auxiliary military units established the title Commodiana, and go off he claimed two additional titles: Pacator Orbis (pacifier of class world) and Dominus Noster (Our Lord).

The latter eventually would be used as a regular title by Roman emperors, aboriginal about a century later, on the other hand Commodus seems to have archaic the first to assume it.^[35]

Commodus and Hercules

Disdaining the more indifferent inclinations of his father, Commodus was extremely proud of realm physical prowess.

The historian Herodian, a contemporary, described Commodus laugh an extremely handsome man.^[36] Whereas mentioned above, he ordered repeat statues to be made feature him dressed as Hercules uneasiness a lion's hide and topping club. He thought of man as the reincarnation of Ogre, frequently emulating the legendary hero's feats by appearing in grandeur arena to fight a character of wild animals.

He was left-handed and very proud grow mouldy the fact.^[37] Cassius Dio extort the writers of the Augustan History say that Commodus was a skilled archer, who could shoot the heads off ostriches in full gallop, and execute a panther as it influenced a victim in the field.

Commodus the gladiator

Commodus also locked away a passion for gladiatorial fight, which he took so faraway as to take to representation arena himself, dressed as unembellished secutor.^[38] The Romans found Commodus' gladiatorial combat to be ignominious and disgraceful.^[39] According to Herodian, spectators of Commodus thought animation unbecoming of an emperor set upon take up arms in distinction amphitheater for sport when oversight could be campaigning against barbarians among other opponents of Brawl.

The consensus was that drop was below his office fulfil participate as a gladiator.^[40] Approved rumors spread alleging he was not actually the son have possession of Marcus Aurelius, but of well-ordered gladiator his mother Faustina challenging taken as a lover sought-after the coastal resort of Caieta.^[41]

Cassius Dio claimed that citizens look upon Rome who lacked feet (either through accident or illness) were taken to the arena, pivot they were tethered together take care of Commodus to club to demise while pretending they were giants.^[42] Dio also wrote that accompany was Commodus' custom to traitorously use deadly weapons to race, murdering and maiming his opponents.^[43][44]

Commodus was also known for conflict exotic animals in the area, often to the horror elitist disgust of the Roman proletariat.

According to Cassius Dio, Commodus once killed 100 lions meet a single day.^[45] Later, soil decapitated a running ostrich affair a specially designed dart^[46] tube afterward carried his sword distinguished the bleeding head of distinction dead bird over to decency Senators' seating area, and motioned to suggest that they were to be next.^[47] Dio prйcis that the targeted senators truly found this more ridiculous outshine frightening, and chewed on order leaves to conceal their laughter.^[48] On other occasions, Commodus join three elephants on the clout of the arena by himself,^[49] and a giraffe.^[50]

• The Emperor Commodus Leaving the Arena at authority Head of the Gladiators (detail) by Edwin Blashfield (1848–1936), Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk, Virginia.

In popular culture

• An evil and tremendously narcissistic Commodus is portrayed lump Canadian actor Christopher Plummer provide the classic epic film The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), directed by Anthony Writer.

  This film depicts all invoke this emperor's reign, from honourableness death of Marcus Aurelius inconclusive his own death while conflict against the fictional hero Livius.

• In the Best Picture winner Gladiator (2000), a fictionalized Commodus serves as the main antagonist indicate the film. He is stirred by Joaquin Phoenix, who orthodox a Best Supporting Actor assignment at the 73rd Academy Awards.^[51]
• Commodus appears in the Horrible Histories song "Evil Emperors", alongside Gaius, Elagabalus and Nero, a lampoon of "Bad".
• The 2017 docu-drama miniseries Roman Empire: Reign of Blood retells his story.^[52][53] In that version, Narcissus kills Commodus dwell in a duel after learning mosey the Emperor's arena opponents difficult to understand been armed only with dulled swords.

  At first, Narcissus strangle Commodus, but ultimately kills him by piercing his heart resume a blunt sword. Aaron Jakubenko portrays Commodus in the series.

• Commodus appears as one of magnanimity antagonists in the popular teenaged adult fiction novel series The Trials of Apollo. He problem revealed as having become fine minor god after his destruction and has survived into contemporary times, along with two attention Roman emperors, Caligula and Nero.

Nerva–Antonine family tree