Commodus was a greater curse to the Romans than any pestilence or any crime and the city had descended into bankruptcy and chaos. ( Public Domain ). After this look at Commodus, check out these interesting facts about Ancient Rome. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. The Libyan-born Septimius Severus has gone down in history as the first African Emperor of Rome . This horrified the Roman people. [19] His reduction of the denarius during his rule was the largest since the empire's first devaluation during Nero's reign. After becoming emperor, Commodus spent his 12-year reign indulging in hobbies like gambling, drinking and chariot-racing, but his two greatest passions seemed to be sex and pretending to be a . Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, What is Shambhala? The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and. So superlatively mad had the abandoned wretch become that he renamed Rome Colonia Commodiana (the Colony of Commodus) and changed the names of the months to each reflect one of the many epithets he had bestowed upon himself. Commodus, The Unhinged Roman Emperor Who Went Mad With Power, Commodus exposes Lucillas plot in this scene from. However, he always spared their lives. 1. He was the brother of Princess Lucilla, and uncle of Lucius. However, even these favorites were not safe from his fury. Disdaining the more philosophic inclinations of his father, Commodus was extremely proud of his physical prowess. 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. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Commodus. 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. He took the throne as regent, but was killed by Maximus in the Colosseum. Bust of Commodus as Hercules, hence the lion skin and the club. www.alexanderdoddy.com. Ridley Scott's Gladiator famously kills off Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the end, but the original plan for the ending was very different. 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. Her husband, Pompeianus, was not involved, but two men alleged to have been her lovers, Marcus Ummidius Quadratus Annianus (the consul of 167, who was also her first cousin) and Appius Claudius Quintianus, attempted to murder Commodus as he entered a theater. On 20 January 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs, the starting point of a career in public life. Despite his notoriety, and considering the importance of his reign, Commodus's years in power are not well chronicled. 6 Advanced Ancient Inventions Beyond Modern Understanding, The Red Taj Mahal and the Dutch Hessings of India, Mount Hua Trail: Where 100 People Plummet to Their Deaths Every Year, Built to Last: The Secret that Enabled Roman Roads to Withstand the Passage of Time, More than a Dozen Mysterious Prehistoric Tunnels in Cornwall, England, Mystify Researchers, Mother and Child Reunion Of Thetis And Achilles, Seductive Sirens of Greek Mythology and How Heroes Resisted Them, Celestial Goddess Selene: The Ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon, Pegasus of Greek Mythology: Majestic Winged Horse of Mount Olympus, Dreams of Human-Powered Flight: Daedalus and the Story of Icarus, Royal Mistress Jane Shore Walked Streets of London in her Underwear, Leonardo Da Vincis Notes Show He Understood Gravity Long Before Newton, Talks Begin on Repatriating Remains of Patrick Sarsfield, Irish War Hero, The Ramessid Dynasty: A Golden Era in Ancient Egypt, Researchers Decode Secret Encrypted Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots, Unraveling the Mystery of the Carnac Stones: An Ancient Puzzle of Epic Proportions, Unraveling the Enigma of Aramu Muru, The Mysterious Gate of the Gods. "Commodus' progeny will rule Rome!" "Back!" yelled the Praetorian guard. As a second attempt, the conspirators had Commodus wrestling partner, ironically named Narcissus, strangle Commodus in his bath. English translation) UCLA Press, Berkeley CA (1961), 1.15.1-9, Dio Cassius 73.20.3, Loeb edition translated E. Cary, Gibbon p. 106 "disgorged at once a hundred lions; a hundred darts". 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When Commodus ordered for the death of Maximus and his family, the Romans could not reject that request. It was presumably there that, on 15 October 172, he was given the victory title Germanicus, in the presence of the army. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. 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. His tale was not believed and he was immediately put to death. As the years went by, it is believed that Commodus was actually a disappointment to his father due to his lack of work ethic and disinterest in government life. schizoform/ CC BY 2.0 Painting, Hercules and the Hydra, Public Domain, Commodus Encyclopaedia Britannica. Quadratus and Quintianus were executed. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. The real Commodus was also a gladiator superfan, and he really did get in the arena and fight people. Flamma. On 31 December, Marcia poisoned Commodus's food, but he vomited up the poison, so the conspirators sent his wrestling partner Narcissus to strangle him in his bath.[24]. The benevolent emperor Claudius, who improved Rome with public works, was followed by his stepson Nero, who some say burned Rome to the ground. A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. Joaquin Phoenix's character is bad news, but he doesn't quite have the same unhinged level of megalomania as his real-life counterpart. But it didnt take long for him to delegate his leadership responsibilities to others so that he could engage in activities in which he enjoyed. In 182 A.D., Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life. The megalomania of Commodus was not limited to the Colosseum. It's ironic that we watched the film Gladiator the other night. Did you realise that "Gladiator" was a revamp of the 1960's movie "THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE" starring Sir Alec Guiness, Sophia Loren, Christopher Plummer, Steven Boyd and Omar Sharif? 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. Commodus was a spoiled, narcissistic young man who was something of an embarrassment to his father. He reduced the weight of the denarius from 96 per Roman pound to 105 per Roman pound (3.85grams to 3.35grams). 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. [22], Thus, he presented himself as the fountainhead of the Empire, Roman life, and religion. 37 Dirty Medieval Manuscripts That Prove People In The Middle Ages Weren't So Prudish After All, Inside The Little-Known Story Of Laura Bullion, The 'Thorny Rose' Of The Wild Bunch, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. [33] Cassius Dio and the writers of the Augustan History say that Commodus was a skilled archer, who could shoot the heads off ostriches in full gallop, and kill a panther as it attacked a victim in the arena. Updates? Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. [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. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/128108/Commodus, Lucius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire. 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. Composite Character: Maximus, compared to real life. In the arena, Commodus's opponents always submitted to the emperor; as a result he never lost. Statues were erected of the emperor depicted as the mythological hero all over the city, including one made of solid gold and weighing in at nearly 1,000 pounds. Intro: 0:00. View GLADIATOR - CHW3M.docx from HIS CHW3M at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. The powerful ending of "Gladiator" makes it one of those movies guaranteed to make anyone cry, but it's also oddly satisfying. By bringing together top experts and authors, this archaeology website explores lost civilizations, examines sacred writings, tours ancient places, investigates ancient discoveries and questions mysterious happenings. Nevertheless, though the senatorial order came to hate and fear him, the evidence suggests that he remained popular with the army and the common people for much of his reign, not least because of his lavish shows of largesse (recorded on his coinage) and because he staged and took part in spectacular gladiatorial combats. Upon his ascension, Commodus devalued the Roman currency. [34] The Romans found Commodus's gladiatorial combat to be scandalous and disgraceful. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. 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. The first attempt used poisoned meat, but Commodus vomited it up. 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. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? Gladiator's Commodus death, therefore, is a pertinent conclusion to Maximus storyline in Gladiator, but it consequentially abstracts the film's historical basis. Classic Villain: Commodus, representing Ambition and Envy. Nowadays Commodus is best remembered as the villain of Ridley Scott's movie "Gladiator", a sneering and arrogant portrayal by Joaquin Phoenix. Commodus ( / kmds /; [4] 31 August 161 - 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. From all angles, Commodus was groomed to succeed on the throne. 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. Muller Edition 1.15.7, Echols, Edward C. "Herodian of Antioch's History of the Roman Empire." The film is based on real historical events, but . Commodus received extensive tutoring by a multitude of teachers with a focus on intellectual education. Gladiator follows Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), who is chosen by the ailing Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) to succeed him as the new Caesar.This doesn't sit well with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Marcus, who murders his . 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. The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and his death during Maximus' final fight in the Colosseum is an example of the film's historical inaccuracy. 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. The gladiator who defied an emperor. His victories were often welcomed by his bested opponents, as bearing scars dealt by the hand of an emperor was considered a mark of fortitude. In 182 Commoduss sister Lucilla conspired with a group of senators to assassinate him. 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