( Louisonze/CC BY-SA 3.0 ). And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? [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. [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). He was left-handed and very proud of the fact. Interestingly, it took Scott a while to realize that, like a sadistic emperor at a gladiatorial display, the ending demanded Maximus's death. Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. [15], On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated a joint triumph. He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. It was presumably there that, on 15 October 172, he was given the victory title Germanicus, in the presence of the army. In addition to Galens medical attention and treatment, Commodus was also highly educated, with little focus on military training. Lucilla was exiled to Capri and later killed. The Emperor Commodus Leaving the Arena at the Head of the Gladiators (detail) by Edwin Blashfield (18481936), Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk, Virginia. The real Commodus was also taken out by a Senate plot, although less publicly: After a few unsuccessful attempts, he was strangled to death in his bathroom by a professional wrestler moonlighting as an assassin. 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. By December of that year, he declared that he would inaugurate the New Year on January 1, 193 as a gladiator in the arena. He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors. An illustration of the murder of Commmodus. Commodus (/kmds/;[4] 31 August 161 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. The gladiator who defied an emperor. The first crisis of the reign came in 182, when Lucilla engineered a conspiracy against her brother. Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. Quadratus and Quintianus were executed. Commodus was a greater curse to the Romans than any pestilence or any crime and the city had descended into bankruptcy and chaos. He also declared himself to be an incarnation of the god Hercules and forced the senate to recognize his divinity. According to Dio Cassius, Perennis, though ruthless and ambitious, was not personally corrupt and generally administered the state well.[21]. 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). 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. Later that year he adopted as his 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). The ancient Greek city of Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, was home to the main Temple of Apollo and the renowned Oracle of Delphi. Lucilla was over ten years his senior and held the rank of Augusta as the widow of her first husband, Lucius Verus. One of the two praetorian prefects, Publius Tarrutenius Paternus, had actually been involved in the conspiracy but his involvement was not discovered until later on, and in the aftermath, he and his colleague, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, were able to arrange for the murder of Saoterus, the hated chamberlain. 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. Commodus ruled with chaos and left chaos in his wake. 1475); the hero wears his characteristic lionskin and wields a club. It is uncertain whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman. Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus, Ti. Political influence then passed to the emperors mistress and two advisers. Commodus was spoilt and decadent and his decadence led to the decline of the empire. Faustina was the daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and was Aurelius first cousin. It appears that Aurelius was desperate to have a son of his own bloodline succeed him. The assassination attempt marked a turning point in Commodus reign, for once [he had] tasted human blood, he became incapable of pity or remorse. He began executing people without regard for rank, wealth, or sex. 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. [38] Cassius Dio claimed that citizens of Rome who were missing their feet through accident or illness were taken to the arena, where they were tethered together for Commodus to club to death while pretending they were giants. 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. On 31 December 192 AD, Commodus's concubine[2] and conspirator Marcia poisoned Commodus's wine. 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. Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus. To "accept kinship with Commodus the bluntly pragmatic decision was taken to deify the former emperor, thus legitimizing Severus' seizure of power. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? 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. The Emperor and his son then travelled to Athens, where they were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries. It appeared that he had no interest in being a leader, and only wanted to take advantage of his leadership powers to fulfill his own desires. Ein Gladiator (lateinisch gladiator zu gladius fr . However, in private practice fights, Commodus would slay his opponents. The historian Herodian, a contemporary, described Commodus as an extremely handsome man. Claudius M. Appius Atilius Bradua Regillus Atticus, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Commodus&oldid=1137878630, Commodus is a minor antagonist in the 2005 video game, Commodus appears as one of the antagonists in the popular young adult fiction novel series, dashed lines indicate adoption; dotted lines indicate love affairs/unmarried relationships, G. Alfldy, "Der Friedesschluss des Kaisers Commodus mit den Germanen,", P. A. Brunt, "The Fall of Perennis: Dio-Xiphilinus 79.9.2,", J. Gag, "La mystique imperiale et l'preuve des jeux. 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. He is a particular fan of works by Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, and Martin Scorsese. Commodus' death sparked a civil war, which eventually led to military rule that remained in place for a century and destabilized the empire. Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was born on 31 August AD161 in Lanuvium, near Rome. View GLADIATOR - CHW3M.docx from HIS CHW3M at Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts. [40][41] For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million sesterces, straining the Roman economy. Husband of Ceionia Fabia: Levick (2014), p. 164. His death in history marks the end of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty; in the movie, his death marks the retributive end of Maximus Gladiator story. 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. The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) takes power and strips rank from Maximus (Russell Crowe), one of the favored generals of his predecessor and father, Empero During the preparations for the campaign against Cassius, Commodus assumed his toga virilis on the Danubian front on 7 July 175, thus formally entering adulthood. The slave who became a gladiator. Aurelius pushed for Commodus to be a leader from a very young age. Roman Emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus was a corrupt ruler who was not well-received by the Roman people during his reign. "Back!" he cried. Although he's very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the . 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. All Action 473K subscribers 86K 11M views 1 year ago #Gladiator #RidleyScott #AllAction Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) challenges Maximus (Russell Crowe) in combat in the hopes of killing him. 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 . ( Public Domain ). 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? fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. The megalomania of Commodus was not limited to the Colosseum. The plot failed, and Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators. Its protagonist, Maximus, is entirely fictitious. Commodus (Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus, 31 August 161 - 31 December 192) was Roman emperor from 177 to 192. [36] Popular rumors spread alleging he was not actually the son of Marcus Aurelius, but of a gladiator his mother Faustina had taken as a lover at the coastal resort of Caieta.[37]. However, even these favorites were not safe from his fury. [7], He was looked after by his father's physician, Galen,[8][9] who treated many of Commodus's common illnesses. In fact, the rule of Commodus might have gone down as quite unremarkable in the history of Rome were it not for one unfortunate incident. Narration by: Alexander Dobby. The movie is far from historically accurate. 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 poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. The following year, Commodus became Aurelius co-emperor, and they reigned together from then until Aurelius death in 180. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/128108/Commodus, Lucius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire. Then, two things happened: either Chaos or Gaia created the universe as we know it, or Ouranos and Tethys gave birth to the first beings. Contrary to the plot of Gladiator where Emperor Commodus is portrayed as having killed Marcus Aurelius the two ruled together, from 177 until the latters death in 180. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. 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. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was the . 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. The title suggests that Commodus was present at his father's victory over the Marcomanni. Unlike Maximus, they all let him win, letting him injure them to a non-fatal degree and then conceding, per LA Times. Husband of Rupilia Faustina: Levick (2014), p. 163. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? 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. 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. The slave who became a gladiator. The consensus was that it was below his office to participate as a gladiator. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. In 182 A.D., Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life. [6][7] The latter died in 169 having failed to recover from an operation, which left Commodus as Marcus Aurelius's sole surviving son. 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. Unlike Commodus, Maximus isn't driven by a desire for power but by loyalty to "the true emperor" whom Commodus murdered and to his family. His brutal misrule precipitated civil strife that ended 84 years of stability and prosperity within the empire. 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.. 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. Commodus : The general who became a slave. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? The ending, however sad to viewers, allows him to do that. 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. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. 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. ", Roman coins featuring Commodus. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. On 15 October 184 at the Capitoline Games, a Cynic philosopher publicly denounced Perennis before Commodus. In 180 AD, Marcus Aurelius died, leaving Commodus as sole Emperor of Rome. The real Commodus was also a gladiator superfan, and he really did get in the arena and fight people. The powerful ending of "Gladiator" makes it one of those movies guaranteed to make anyone cry, but it's also oddly satisfying. 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. 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