The 2000 film, directed by Ridley Scott, is steeped in the culture of ancient Rome. Commodus would enter the arena in the garb of Mercury and casting aside all his other garments, would begin his exhibition wearing only a tunic and unshod.. Available from: http://www.roman-empire.net/highpoint/commodus.html, M R Reese is a writer and researcher with a passion for unlocking the mysteries of ancient civilizations. The first attempt used poisoned meat, but Commodus vomited it up. Commodus's death marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. The gladiator who defied an emperor. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [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. Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p.7. In 195, the emperor Septimius Severus, trying to gain favour with the family of Marcus Aurelius, rehabilitated Commodus's memory and had the Senate deify him. Commodus received extensive tutoring by a multitude of teachers with a focus on intellectual education. Roman Artwork. Gladiator is clearly influenced by aspects of history, but its specific storyline is definitively imaginative. schizoform/ CC BY 2.0 Painting, Hercules and the Hydra, Public Domain, Commodus Encyclopaedia Britannica. Husband of Salonia Matidia: Levick (2014), p. 161. Commodus' famous gesture, which he gives when deciding the fate of defeated gladiators She believes that only by understanding where we come from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. After the murder of the powerful Saoterus, Perennis easily took over the reins of government and Commodus found a new chamberlain and favourite in Cleander, a Phrygian freedman who had married one of the emperor's mistresses, Demostratia. Only a famous death will do. On this channel we focus on Roman History and right now we're doing a video on every Roman Emperor, if you're interested in that subscribe or watch the playlist here: https://bit.ly/32CUA2g. Als besonders skandals empfand man die Beziehung zwischen Eppia, einer Frau aus reicher Familie, die Senatorengattin war, und dem Gladiator Sergiolus. Disdaining the more philosophic inclinations of his father, Commodus was extremely proud of his physical prowess. 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. 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. He assassinated the Roman emperor Commodus in 192 AD. Despite the unfair circumstances, Maximus is victorious, killing Commodus with the very blade the emperor had concealed. 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. He thought of himself as the reincarnation of Hercules, frequently emulating the legendary hero's feats by appearing in the arena to fight a variety of wild animals. On November 27, 176, Aurelius promoted 15-year-old Commodus to the rank of Imperator, which some say is a role similar to commander. He was very vain, and strongly believed himself to be the reincarnation of Hercules so much so that he ordered statues of himself be dressed like Hercules, and he ordered that people call him Hercules, son of Zeus. Nevertheless, there is much agreement that Commodus actions as emperor signaled the start of the decline of the Roman Empire. Well, kind of, but not really. Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus, Ti. Hercules and the Hydra (ca. A small group of conspirators, including the emperors chamberlain and mistress, Marcia, decided to kill him. In April 175, Avidius Cassius, Governor of Syria, declared himself emperor following rumours that Marcus Aurelius had died. Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) is a Roman historical epic, considered to be one of Scott's directorial movie masterpieces. Commoduss father was Marcus Aurelius, an emperor who presided over what has been regarded as one of ancient Romes golden ages. Husband of Ulpia Marciana: Levick (2014), p. 161. One of these is Commodus' relationship with his sister Lucilla. 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). Statues of Commodus were demolished. Maximus is given a very clear ending, but what about the rest of Rome? 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. 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. [40][41] For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million sesterces, straining the Roman economy. Only a famous death will do. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? [15], On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated a joint triumph. 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 was three years later that Verus died, leaving Commodus as the only surviving son. Commodus (/kmds/;[4] 31 August 161 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. It worked and the Nerva-Antonine dynasty which had ruled Rome for nearly a century had come to an end and the city soon descended into civil war. 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. A work of history that reads like fiction, The Gladiator brings to life Spartacus, Commodus, Caligula, and all of the other memorable players of the nearly thousand-year-long gladiatorial era. This biographical article related to crime is a stub. When Commodus ordered for the death of Maximus and his family, the Romans could not reject that request. Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was born on 31 August AD161 in Lanuvium, near Rome. Commodus hired a wrestler to train him to be even better in the arena. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. He also declared himself to be an incarnation of the god Hercules and forced the senate to recognize his divinity. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? 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. He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. According to Dio Cassius, Perennis, though ruthless and ambitious, was not personally corrupt and generally administered the state well.[21]. Commodus was born on August 31, 161 AD in Lanuvium, 14 miles (22.5 km) southeast of Rome. On 20 January 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs, the starting point of a career in public life. Commodus Roman Emperor In Power Nov 27, 176 - Dec 31, 192 Born Aug 31, 161Lanuvium, Italy Died Dec 31, 192 (aged 31)Rome, Italy Wife Bruttia Crispina Father Marcus Aurelius Mother Faustina the Younger Lucius Aurelius Commodus was born in Lanuvium, near Rome, on August 31, 161. 1. After those attempts on his life, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on the family estates at Lanuvium. 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. We'll explain. One such notable event was the attempted extermination of the house of the Quinctilii. Die ''Terme Taurine'' von Civitavecchia ein rmisches Heilbad. 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. Commodus lunged at the Senator. fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. Gladiator: How Commodus Died In Real Life & Who Killed Him, Gladiator: What Happened To Every Historical Character In Real Life. 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 . It is uncertain whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman. Throughout his reign, Commodus entrusted the management of affairs to his palace chamberlain and praetorian prefects, named Saoterus, Perennis and Cleander. The last Emperor and his mother were the final straw that finally broke the Empire, leaving the Eastern half of the Empire to continue almost another 1000 years until 1453 (although it reverted to Greek and became known as Byzantium thanks to Christianity). Unfortunately, the damage to Rome was already done. The Death of Commodus, from a history book published in 1900. Commodus was also known for fighting exotic animals in the arena, often to the horror and disgust of the Roman populace. Aurelius pushed for Commodus to be a leader from a very young age. 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". Only a famous death will do. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Ulpius Marcellus was replaced as governor of Britain by Pertinax; brought to Rome and tried for treason, Marcellus narrowly escaped death. [4] Commodus was supposedly in a drunken stupor after Marcia had poisoned him[1] and Narcissus proceeded to strangle his master in his bathtub[1] or, according to Herodian, in his bed.[3]. The long line of ancient Roman emperors is marked by a strange pattern: Almost every exceptionally brilliant emperor was succeeded by an exceptionally mad one. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The gladiator who defied an emperor. Unrest around the empire increased, with large numbers of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Indeed, director Ridley Scott's vision of Maximus slowly walking toward his family through the fields of their farm as he's dying is one of the most moving moments in movie history. While Lucilla did actually try to orchestrate Commodus' assassination, there's no historical evidence of his disturbing attraction to her or their highly tempestuous relationship as depicted in the movie. Lucilla was over ten years his senior and held the rank of Augusta as the widow of her first husband, Lucius Verus. By 192 A.D., the Roman people had had enough. In the arena, Commodus's opponents always submitted to the emperor; as a result he never lost. When Marcia found a list of people Commodus intended to have executed, she discovered that she, the prefect Laetus and Eclectus were on it. Dissatisfaction with this state of affairs would lead to a series of conspiracies and attempted coups, which in turn eventually provoked Commodus to take charge of affairs, which he did in an increasingly dictatorial manner. Whereas the reign of Marcus Aurelius had been marked by almost continuous warfare, Commodus's rule was comparatively peaceful in the military sense, but was also characterised by political strife and the increasingly arbitrary and capricious behaviour of the emperor himself. 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