Marcus Aurelius. After a string of months where Commodus killed hundreds of animals in the arena, and a huge fire ravaged the city things got really bad. The Death of Commodus, from a history book published in 1900. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. This ancient Roman biographical article is a stub. 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. Lucius Aurelius Commodus, born 161 A.D., was appointed co-emperor by his father Marcus Aurelius in 177 A.D. when he was just 16 years old. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Yet another attempt on his life had been foiled, but the conspirators did not lose their nerve. Commodus was the tenth of fourteen children born to Aurelius and was ultimately the only surviving son. However, in private practice fights, Commodus would slay his opponents. 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). While the films fictional account maintains that the killing of Commodus was motivated by the nature of the emperors actions, it is more personal and emotionally charged in the film than in history. One of these is Commodus' relationship with his sister Lucilla. [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). Narcissus (born 2nd century A.D.) was a Roman athlete,[1][2] likely a wrestler,[3] from the 2nd century AD. 1. But frankly, the rest of "Gladiator" also deserves a standing ovation from an arena full of bloodthirsty Roman citizens (and modern audiences), especially the ending. It's fair to say the audience is pretty attached to Maximus by the end of "Gladiator." The first, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, Commodus put to death after becoming convinced he was conspiring against him. www.alexanderdoddy.com. 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. 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He also devalued Roman currency, reducing the weight of the denarius and reducing the purity of silver. 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. 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!'. Well, kind of, but not really. She has earned Read More. "Commodus' progeny will rule Rome!" "Back!" yelled the Praetorian guard. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. A grateful Senate proclaimed a new emperorthe city prefect, Publius Helvius Pertinaxbut the empire quickly slipped into civil war. The plot failed, and Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators. The slave who became a gladiator. Cassius Dio declared that Commodus was not naturally wicked but that his cowardice, made him the slave of his companions.. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. Roman Artwork. Commodus's death is an example of how the film has historical references but often distorts them to create its narrative Gladiator's Commodus being less power-hungry than his historical counterpart refocuses the movie around Maximus' personal struggle rather than the wider Roman political landscape. He negotiated a peace settlement in Romes favor. A bust of Roman Emperor Commodus, styled as if he were a reincarnation of Hercules, which is precisely what he believed himself to be. [5] He was the son of the reigning emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius's first cousin, Faustina the Younger, the youngest daughter of Emperor Antoninus Pius, who had died only a few months before. [35] According to Herodian, spectators of Commodus thought it unbecoming of an emperor to take up arms in the amphitheater for sport when he could be campaigning against barbarians among other opponents of Rome. Cassius, however, was killed by one of his centurions before the campaign against him could begin. Ulpius Marcellus was replaced as governor of Britain by Pertinax; brought to Rome and tried for treason, Marcellus narrowly escaped death. Commodus took the loss of Saoterus badly, and Perennis now seized the chance to advance himself by implicating Paternus in a second conspiracy, one apparently led by Publius Salvius Julianus, who was the son of the jurist Salvius Julianus and was betrothed to Paternus's daughter. Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, What is Shambhala? He kept most of the advisers from his fathers regime in place and the first three years of his reign ran as smoothly as that of his father with the added benefit that Rome was no longer fighting any wars. 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]. Russell Crowe's Maximus asks the crowd "Are you not entertained?" The breaking point and Commodus' real death. But in reality, it was marked the end of the promise of Rome. He also had four surviving sisters, all of them with husbands who were potential rivals. Joaquin Phoenix's character is bad news, but he doesn't quite have the same unhinged level of megalomania as his real-life counterpart. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? Omissions? Wikimedia CommonsEmperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. 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. Commodus never killed his gladiatorial adversaries, instead accepting their surrenders. The historian Herodian, a contemporary, described Commodus as an extremely handsome man. Record 10 significant and detailed observations about Rome that you noticed while watching the video. 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. Now at the zenith of his power, Cleander continued to sell public offices as his private business. He gave Rome a new name, Colonia Commodiana (Colony of Commodus), and imagined that he was the god Hercules, entering the arena to fight as a gladiator or to kill lions with bow and arrow. However, just when the days of the mad emperors seemed long gone, Commodus brought the madness roaring back. 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. Commodus: The general who became a slave. Clearly, choosing to play gladiator, mercilessly killing animals and people with disabilities, was not a strategy that served to promote Roman culture, no matter how brutal it was at the time. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. Gladiator is somewhat historically accurate in its final scenes, as Commodus did perform as a gladiator. Composite Character: Maximus, compared to real life. @Roberto Peron, No, Marcus Aurelius was a philosopher (Stoic) the last of the 5 "Good Emperors" and maintained the "Pax Romana). His tale was not believed and he was immediately put to death. Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. 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. In 166, at the age of five, Commodus was made Caesar, along with his younger brother Marcus Annius Verus. Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus. 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 . Als besonders skandals empfand man die Beziehung zwischen Eppia, einer Frau aus reicher Familie, die Senatorengattin war, und dem Gladiator Sergiolus. Faustina was the daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and was Aurelius first cousin. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. This biographical article related to crime is a stub. Speidel, "Commodus the God-Emperor and the Army,", This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 22:16. Despite the unfair circumstances, Maximus is victorious, killing Commodus with the very blade the emperor had concealed. Anyone who caught the emperors attention risked also inadvertently invoking his wrath. In 192 AD, several senators, led by Praetorian prefect Quintus Aemilius Laetus, recruited Narcissus to assassinate the emperor after a previous failed attempt by the conspirators. Commodus's death marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. Unrest around the empire increased, with large numbers of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany. 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. Commodus was a terrible ruler by virtually any standard. In 177 Lucius was made coruler and heir to his father, the emperor Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161180). But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Strange that they didn't kill him earlier. By December of that year, he declared that he would inaugurate the New Year on January 1, 193 as a gladiator in the arena. Gladiator: How Commodus Died In Real Life & Who Killed Him, Gladiator: What Happened To Every Historical Character In Real Life. His body was buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. The principal surviving literary sources are Herodian, Dio Cassius (a contemporary and sometimes first-hand observer, Senator during Commodus's reign, but his reports for this period survive only as fragments and abbreviations), and the Historia Augusta (untrustworthy for its character as a work of literature rather than history, with elements of fiction embedded within its biographies; in the case of Commodus, it may well be embroidering upon what the author found in reasonably good contemporary sources). Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Disdaining the more philosophic inclinations of his father, Commodus was extremely proud of his physical prowess. so Romans had no choice but to obey Commodus. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Narration by: Alexander Dobby. The film stars Russell Crowe as General Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is forced into the life of a gladiator after his family is murdered by the Emperor's son, Commodus. 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. Pescennius Niger mopped up the deserters in Gaul in a military campaign, and a revolt in Brittany was put down by two legions brought over from Britain. The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and. The Emperor Commodus Leaving the Arena at the Head of the Gladiators (detail) by Edwin Blashfield (18481936), Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk, Virginia. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! Commodus ruled with chaos and left chaos in his wake. On 27 November 176, Marcus Aurelius bestowed the title of Imperator on Commodus and in summer 177 he made him a full joint emperor by giving him the title of Augustus. The second, the freeman Cleander, he allowed to be torn apart by a mob who were outraged at the freemans abuses. Maximus defeat of Commodus provides a dramatic conclusion to Gladiator, but the depiction of the malevolent emperors death is historically inaccurate. 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. 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 . Commodus was a spoiled, narcissistic young man who was something of an embarrassment to his father. The slave who became a gladiator. The Untersberg is a great mountain straddling the Austro-German border opposite Salzburg. On 20 January 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs, the starting point of a career in public life. 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. Wikimedia CommonsAn illustration of the murder of Commmodus. Commodus is known to have been at Carnuntum, the headquarters of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars, in 172. Maximus is given a very clear ending, but what about the rest of Rome? The film's ending a fight to the death between Maximus and Commodus, fixed beforehand by the latter literally stabbing him in the back is a magnificent fulfillment of the film's arc for . Maximus : You would fight me? The film portrays a fictionalized account of historical events, and it illuminates aspects of the culture of ancient Rome. 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. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was the . 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. ( Public Domain ). 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. In December, he announced his intention to inaugurate the year 193 as both consul and gladiator on 1 January. 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. It was three years later that Verus died, leaving Commodus as the only surviving son. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Commodus. 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. Muller Edition 1.15.7, Echols, Edward C. "Herodian of Antioch's History of the Roman Empire." Marcus Aurelius died there on 17 March 180, leaving the 18-year-old Commodus as sole emperor.[18]. Commodus brought an end to his father's campaign against the Germans. Flamma. Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree. 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