Lucilla was exiled to Capri and later killed. Was this German silver mine really defended by two Roman forts and a line of "spike defenses? Commodus's death is an example of how the film has historical references but often distorts them to create its narrative Gladiator's Commodus being less power-hungry than his historical counterpart refocuses the movie around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. Cleander was in fact the person who had murdered Saoterus. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? 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. [17] He subsequently married Bruttia Crispina before accompanying his father to the Danubian front once more in 178. He is a particular fan of works by Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, and Martin Scorsese. It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. In addition to Galens medical attention and treatment, Commodus was also highly educated, with little focus on military training. On 12 October 166, Commodus was made Caesar together with his younger brother, Marcus Annius Verus. The final fight of Ridley Scott's Gladiator is relatively short, but it works very well for the movie's somewhat historically accurate story. 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. 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. Commodus, The Unhinged Roman Emperor Who Went Mad With Power, Commodus exposes Lucillas plot in this scene from. Commodus is known to have been at Carnuntum, the headquarters of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars, in 172. He is viewed as having been an inept emperor, his megalomaniac tendencies leading to odd behaviors which frustrated and upset the Roman people. Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. [21], Priscus refused to accept their acclamations, and Perennis had all the legionary legates in Britain cashiered. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. 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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. wahrscheinlich aber erfand Commodus diese Geschichte selber, um seine Sonderrolle zu unterstreichen. Marcus Aurelius died there on 17 March 180, leaving the 18-year-old Commodus as sole emperor.[18]. It's ironic that we watched the film Gladiator the other night. Record 10 significant and detailed observations about Rome that you noticed while watching the video. Fortunately for movie posterity, Scott came up with the idea for the gladiator's death scene during filming. Its protagonist, Maximus, is entirely fictitious. He reduced the weight of the denarius from 96 per Roman pound to 105 per Roman pound (3.85grams to 3.35grams). We will never see the like of the Roman Empire ever again. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. . Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Every illness was treated to ensure he remained strong and healthy. Roman Emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus was a corrupt ruler who was not well-received by the Roman people during his reign. Striking story! Aurelius physician, Galen, was tasked with looking after Commodus to ensure that he stayed healthy and well. On December 31, 192, his advisers had him strangled by a champion wrestler, following his announcement the day before that he would assume the consulship, dressed as a gladiator. Statues of Commodus were demolished. Other victims at this time were the praetorian prefect Julius Julianus, Commodus's cousin Annia Fundania Faustina, and his brother-in-law Mamertinus. He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors. 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. Although he's very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the . [15], On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated a joint triumph. Cassius Dio declared that Commodus was not naturally wicked but that his cowardice, made him the slave of his companions.. Commodus also had a passion for gladiatorial combat, which he took so far as to take to the arena himself, dressed as a secutor. Commodus (/kmds/;[4] 31 August 161 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. Only a famous death will do. 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. [30] On his father's death in 180, Commodus changed this to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Commodus, before changing back to his birth name in 191.[1]. Now, researchers have proposed a hypothesis that seems to support the idea that the Ivar the Boneless was likely the son of legendary Viking king Ragnar Lothbrok, and raided alongside his father and brothers, eventually becoming ruler of York in England in the 9th century AD. Having been accepted as emperor by Syria, Judea and Egypt, Cassius carried on his rebellion even after it had become obvious that Marcus was still alive. During his solo reign, the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared with the reign of Marcus Aurelius. The Horsemen of Oyo were legendary warriors who served the Oyo Empire of West Africa. Narcissus died by execution during the series of civil wars after Commodus's death. Wife of M. Annius Libo: Levick (2014), p. 163. so Romans had no choice but to obey Commodus. [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. 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. In the same year, Pertinax unmasked a conspiracy by two enemies of Cleander Antistius Burrus (one of Commodus's brothers-in-law) and Arrius Antoninus. Quadratus and Quintianus were executed. Far from celebrating his descent from Marcus Aurelius, the actual source of his power, he stressed his own personal uniqueness as the bringer of a new order, seeking to re-cast the empire in his own image. The movie is far from historically accurate. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? 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. They bungled the job and were seized by the emperor's bodyguard. But does this mean Lucius, who is only a child, will be the next emperor? He also reduced the silver purity from 79percent to 76percent the silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams. The climax came in the year 190, which had 25 suffect consuls a record in the 1,000-year history of the Roman consulshipall appointed by Cleander (they included the future Emperor Septimius Severus). Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/128108/Commodus, Lucius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire. However, the ending, while sad, is true to Maximus's goals. Cleander proceeded to concentrate power in his own hands and to enrich himself by becoming responsible for all public offices: he sold and bestowed entry to the Senate, army commands, governorships, and increasingly, even the suffect consulships to the highest bidder. After those attempts on his life, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on the family estates at Lanuvium. Die ''Terme Taurine'' von Civitavecchia ein rmisches Heilbad. 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. Commodus was a terrible ruler by virtually any standard. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was the . Murdering the emperor, after all, was frowned upon even one as hated as Commodus, who had bankrupted Rome with his egotistical demands and was infamous for ordering cruel executions. 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. It was presumably there that, on 15 October 172, he was given the victory title Germanicus, in the presence of the army. His reign is commonly thought of as marking the end of a golden period of peace in the history of the Roman Empire, known as the Pax Romana. The Death of Commodus, from a history book published in 1900. This biographical article related to crime is a stub. On November 27, 176, Aurelius promoted 15-year-old Commodus to the rank of Imperator, which some say is a role similar to commander. 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Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. After this look at Commodus, check out these interesting facts about Ancient Rome. In the contest, Maximus is a victim of foul play as Commodus preemptively wounds him, then later produces a blade. He also had four surviving sisters, all of them with husbands who were potential rivals. 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. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? The scene portrays the extent of Emperor Commodus malice and provides a realization of the vengeance sought by Maximus, following the crucifixion of his wife and child. Sister of Trajan's father: Giacosa (1977), p.7. Commodus hired a wrestler to train him to be even better in the arena. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. The most famous scene in "Gladiator" is the one that launched a thousand memes (to use a phrase from a different Ancient European society). In 177 Lucius was made coruler and heir to his father, the emperor Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161180). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. With a thirst for power, he ruled the Roman Empire almost 2,000 years ago, declaring himself Emperor A new anthropological study provides a strong message about what happens when social contracts are broken by a previously good government the government and the society collapses hard Commodus, the son and heir of the distinguished philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius , was a failure as a Roman emperor. Commodus : The general who became a slave. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? As promised in another well-known speech, Maximus does indeed have his revenge on father-/emperor-/wife-/child-killer Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Wikimedia CommonsEmperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree. Commodus remained with the Danube armies for only a short time before negotiating a peace treaty with the Danubian tribes. Despite the fact that Commodus caused much anger and resentment during his reign, few written records were kept about his life. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. While fighting in the arena, opponents would submit to Commodus, as emperor, and their lives were spared. Marcus Aurelius. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Narcissus_(wrestler)&oldid=1135943613, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 20:46. The film is based on real historical events, but . Gladiator is a film invested in the concept of retribution. According to Cassius Dio, Commodus once killed 100 lions in a single day. 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. Legionary legates in Britain cashiered people and the aging emperor, his tendencies. Civitavecchia ein rmisches Heilbad noticed while watching the video this page was last edited on 27 January,... Except where otherwise noted, the Roman people posterity, Scott came up with the Danubian tribes Emperors... Job and were seized by the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared with the idea the! 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