Biography
To first understand this arrogant and detested emperor we must learn about his early life and why he behaved like this. Commodus was born in Lanuvium with his twin brother Antoninus. When his mother Faustina was pregnant with Commodus it was said that she dreamt of giving birth to snakes. His father Marcus Antoninus tried to educate him on the characteristics of the excellent men and emperors that came before Commodus. From the beginning Commodus liked art. Later it was found that this was the only subject he enjoyed. He had a teacher of Greek letters Onesicrates, Latin Capella Antistius, and T. Aius Sanctus an oratory teacher. All these teachers but none of their teachings stuck. From a young age he was said to be shameless, cruel, and lecherous. One example being when he happened to take a bath in tepid water, he immediately ordered the bath-keeper to be cast into the furnace (Birley 164).
Once Commodus became emperor his cruelty and arrogance was prevalent in his political approaches, rulings, and punishments. Emperor Commodus gave himself to a life of pleasure while his official Pernnuis devoted himself to the administration of his rule. He acquired three hundred concubines, amid banquets and balls. He spent this time in the arena killing wild animals by chariot to showboat his skills as
Commodus As Hercules
a gladiator, from which his nickname
“ the Roman Hercules” formed (Birley 169).
Like previously mentioned Commodus loved
to fight in the amphitheater, and during his
reign the empire was an autocracy so this would
be seen as a good way for the emperor to retain
popular support and allow a means for direct
communication between himself and the people
(Toner 34).
During his last years of rule the plague broke out again in AD 189, and during winter a food shortage hit Rome, people started to speculate that Cleander (Commodus’ right-hand man) had been doing this in order to become emperor. When the people addressed this to Commodus he believed them, not only sentencing Cleander to death but also his only son for fear of treason within the empire (Toner 34). After Cleanders death, Commodus decided to lead solely in control. In this period of full control Commodus’ depiction of the divine emperor changed, alienating the more traditional row of society (Hekster 78). He stressed his superiority by wanting the city of Rome to be called the “Commodian Colony” and not only did the senate accept this city change as a form of mockery but they also named Commodus “Hercules” and to be classified as a “god” (Birley 169).
Commodus was murdered on December 31st, 192 AD by Narcissus, a Roman wrestler, who was sent by Lacteus and Ecliestia, chamberlains who Commodus executed without compunction. They first poisoned him but because of his over consumption of alcohol he threw up the poison and was later strangled by Narcissus (Hekster 79).
While a great deal of people did not like or agree with the way he ruled, the people that took most to his rule was the Roman army. Who is said to have held Emperor Commodus in high esteem. After Commodus’ death a man named Didius lulianus wished to be king, but was only able to once he had given a written promise to the Praetorians that he would restore the statutes and honors that Commodus implemented in his rule, which included the right to bear axes (Speidel 6).
Do not allow this love from his armies fool you, this was one of the only groups that enjoyed his reign as emperor. Commodus throughout his life continued to be self absorbed and catered to his own needs before the peoples, which made him one of the most disliked and unsuccessful emperors.
The End.