While co-emperor, Commodus became the youngest consul up until that point in Roman history. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? Commodus orders 150 days of gladiatorial combat, ostensibly to commemorate his late father, while in reality attempting to distract the populace from the Senate's corruption and the rampant plague epidemics. A more fun alternative would be having Maximus and the Senate recover control of Rome, while Maximus gets to experience a new family life with Lucilla (Connie Nielson) and her son Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark). Commodus butchered dozens of animals in single appearances at the Colosseum on other occasions. Yet another attempt on his life had been foiled, but the conspirators did not lose their nerve. His brutal misrule precipitated civil strife that ended 84 years of stability and prosperity within the empire. The following year, Commodus became Aurelius co-emperor, and they reigned together from then until Aurelius death in 180. Commodus was succeeded by Pertinax, whose reign was short-lived; he would become the first claimant to be usurped during the Year of the Five Emperors. Commodus accompanied his father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, and on a tour of the Eastern provinces in 176. [34] The Romans found Commodus's gladiatorial combat to be scandalous and disgraceful. It was three years later that Verus died, leaving Commodus as the only surviving son. These tendencies now increased to megalomaniacal proportions. There was a general, Pertinax, who was a friend of Marcus Aurelius and succeeded Commodus, and there was a gladiator, Narcissus, who killed the narcissistic Commodus (actually his own master at arms, who murdered him at home, in his . Aurelius himself, and the four emperors that had preceded him, had all been adopted. It was presumably there that, on 15 October 172, he was given the victory title Germanicus, in the presence of the army. They then sent in an athlete to strangle the 31-year old emperor in his bath. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. It is of particular interest that Aurelius craved succession by one of his sons so much because there hadnt been an emperor who had been succeeded by his own son since Titus succeeded Vespasian in 79. He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. But since "Gladiator" is based on a true story (sort of), we can look at history to see what might have happened next. According to Cassius Dio, Commodus once killed 100 lions in a single day. Unrest around the empire increased, with large numbers of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany. In 186 he further reduced the purity and silver weight to 74percent and 2.22grams respectively, being 108 to the Roman pound. Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p.7. 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. Soon after he became sole ruler, Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. Roman artwork, 191 - 192 AD. Gladiator's Commodus death, therefore, is a pertinent conclusion to Maximus storyline in Gladiator, but it consequentially abstracts the film's historical basis. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. As he was physically strong, his chief interest was in sport: he took part in horse racing, chariot racing, and combat with beasts and men, mostly in private but also on occasion in public. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Moreover, as Hercules, he could claim to be the son of Jupiter, the supreme god of the Roman pantheon. His fictionalized depiction as a mad emperor in the film Gladiator actually plays down some of his less believable excesses while giving him a nobler death. Watching him collapse and die after restoring his own freedom and ridding Rome of its Tyrant in Chief seems like, well, a downer. Unlike Maximus, they all let him win, letting him injure them to a non-fatal degree and then conceding, per LA Times. Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (2014), p. 161. Commodus (/kmds/;[4] 31 August 161 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. 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). It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. 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. The most famous scene in "Gladiator" is the one that launched a thousand memes (to use a phrase from a different Ancient European society). Bust of Commodus as Hercules, hence the lion skin and the club. 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. 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. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? The pivotal 2000 historical drama follows the betrayed general, Maximus, on a quest for revenge against Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the usurper emperor of Rome, who murdered his wife and son. wahrscheinlich aber erfand Commodus diese Geschichte selber, um seine Sonderrolle zu unterstreichen. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. 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. 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. 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]. His death, however, was the result of an assassination plot in 192, culminating with Narcissus killing him in the bath. 1. Top Image: Bust of Commodus, 17th Emperor of the Roman Empire. Dio Cassius 73.10.2, Loeb edition translated E. Cary. [40][41] For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million sesterces, straining the Roman economy. Hercules and the Hydra (ca. www.alexanderdoddy.com. The slave who became a gladiator. Narcissus died by execution during the series of civil wars after Commodus's death. He engaged in one-on-one combat with many other gladiators, each of whom was obliged to lose to the emperor. Joaquin Phoenix's character is bad news, but he doesn't quite have the same unhinged level of megalomania as his real-life counterpart. [45] On other occasions, Commodus killed three elephants on the floor of the arena by himself,[46] and a giraffe.[47]. Maximus : You would fight me? While the true story behind his reign and death are fascinating, I prefer the fictional story, where he is killed in the arena before thousands of subjects by a gladiator whose family was ordered killed by the emperor. At the urging of his mistress Marcia, Commodus had Cleander beheaded and his son killed. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of the murder of Commmodus. 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. Under Commodus, Rome had descended from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust. Much like Nero had supposedly fiddled while Rome burned, Commodus enjoyed himself as the city decayed around him. Upon his fathers death in 180, Commodus became the sole emperor. Only a famous death will do. Contemporary Roman writer Cassius Dio describes the young heir as rather simple-minded, but he ruled agreeably with his father and joined Marcus Aurelius in the Marcomannic Wars against the Germanic tribes along the Danube, which the emperor had been waging for several years. He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. One such notable event was the attempted extermination of the house of the Quinctilii. The activities which held Commodus attention and with which he spent his time were primarily surrounding gladiatorial combat. He would take to the arena and engage in combat, which the Romans viewed as being scandalous and disgraceful. 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. Julia Balbilla a possible lover of Sabina: A. R. Birley (1997). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. By December of that year, he declared that he would inaugurate the New Year on January 1, 193 as a gladiator in the arena. Marcus Aurelius was the first emperor since Vespasian to have a legitimate biological son, though he himself was the fifth in the line of the so-called Five Good Emperors, also known as the Adoptive Emperors, each of whom had adopted his successor. Roman Artwork. Lucius joined Marcus in his campaign against invading German tribes along the Danube, but after the death of Marcus (March 180) he quickly came to terms with the Germans. 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