By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. He is based in the UK and studied English at Kings College London. Only a famous death will do. He also declared himself to be an incarnation of the god Hercules and forced the senate to recognize his divinity. Updates? Maximus : You would fight me? Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/128108/Commodus, Lucius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire. 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. They then returned to Rome in the autumn of 176. Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. Watching him collapse and die after restoring his own freedom and ridding Rome of its Tyrant in Chief seems like, well, a downer. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? Ivar the Boneless: Viking Warrior, Ruler and Raider, What is Shambhala? Upon his ascension, Commodus devalued the Roman currency. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Once that's done, he only has one more goal: reunite with his family in the afterlife. The plot failed, and Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. Be warned, though:If you thought Maximus's death was sad, you really won't like this. [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]. [28][29], His original name was Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus. 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. Cassius, however, was killed by one of his centurions before the campaign against him could begin. 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. Other victims at this time were the praetorian prefect Julius Julianus, Commodus's cousin Annia Fundania Faustina, and his brother-in-law Mamertinus. In 186 he further reduced the purity and silver weight to 74percent and 2.22grams respectively, being 108 to the Roman pound. During his solo reign, the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared with the reign of Marcus Aurelius. From all angles, Commodus was groomed to succeed on the throne. In addition to Galens medical attention and treatment, Commodus was also highly educated, with little focus on military training. In the contest, Maximus is a victim of foul play as Commodus preemptively wounds him, then later produces a blade. Commodus, the son of the famous Emperor Marcus Aurelius, lived an interesting life, combining 15 years of rule alongside his father with 16 years of chaos. Disappointment aside, Aurelius continued to promote Commodus through the ranks. Commodus hired a wrestler to train him to be even better in the arena. Striking story! In 182 Commoduss sister Lucilla conspired with a group of senators to assassinate him. When Marcia found a list of people Commodus intended to have executed, she discovered that she, the prefect Laetus and Eclectus were on it. Ser. After those attempts on his life, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on the family estates at Lanuvium. 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. Commodus had an elder twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus, who died in 165. Roman Emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus was a corrupt ruler who was not well-received by the Roman people during his reign. To help answer that question, here are five of the key elements of the story and their historical precedents. This ancient Roman biographical article is a stub. This assassination attempt was successful, and both Commodus reign as Roman Emperor, and his life, ended on the final day of 192. Commodus' famous gesture, which he gives when deciding the fate of defeated gladiators Only a famous death will do. He was appointed co-emperor of Rome and ruled alongside his father when he Marcus Aurelius is famed for various accomplishmentshis title as the last of the Five Good Emperors; his extensive study of and literary accomplishments in the field of Stoicism; and, last but not Long bouts of bad weather have been blamed as a cause for the downfall of ancient civilizations around the world. He also reduced the silver purity from 79percent to 76percent the silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams. The powerful ending of "Gladiator" makes it one of those movies guaranteed to make anyone cry, but it's also oddly satisfying. Commodus is commonly regarded as being an inadequate and megalomaniacal emperor, but Gladiators distortion of history portrays him as exclusively and resolutely evil. [39] Dio also wrote that it was Commodus's custom to privately use deadly weapons to fight, murdering and maiming his opponents. He wanted to avenge the deaths of his wife and son, as well as clear the way for the Senate to restore order in Rome. When Commodus ordered for the death of Maximus and his family, the Romans could not reject that request. Sporting critical wounds after enacting his vengeance at the end of Gladiator, Maximus dies moments after Commodus. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Striking story! Thereafter his rule became increasingly arbitrary and vicious. 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). Papirius Dionysius was executed, too. The historian Herodian, a contemporary, described Commodus as an extremely handsome man. 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. 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. [15], On 23 December 176, the two imperatores celebrated a joint triumph. Mudlarker Finds Bronze Age Shoe on a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old! He reduced the weight of the denarius from 96 per Roman pound to 105 per Roman pound (3.85grams to 3.35grams). Although he's very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the . Hercules and the Hydra (ca. Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. The film portrays a fictionalized account of historical events, and it illuminates aspects of the culture of ancient Rome. The Eastern Tour - Chapter II: 4:01. 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. Commodus murders his father (Richard Harris) to gain power, orders the death of war hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) in order to circumvent any possible challenge to his rule, puts the moves on his. This caused much outrage, and inspired prefect Laetus to start a conspiracy to assassinate the emperor. Striking story! Crowe toldEmpire magazinein 2020 that originally, Maximus survived: Crowe said he used to joke that his character would "end up running a f****** pizzeria by the Colosseum." Heinz, W. (1986). He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. Commodus ruled with chaos and left chaos in his wake. [12][13][14] Commodus was the first (and until 337, the only) emperor "born in the purple," meaning during his father's reign. He is best known to history as the assassin of the Roman Emperor Commodus, by whom he was employed as a wrestling partner[2][3] and personal trainer in order to train Commodus for his self-indulgent appearances in the Colosseum as a gladiator. Intrigues and conspiracies abounded, leading Commodus to revert to an increasingly dictatorial style of leadership, culminating in his creating a deific personality cult, with his performing as a gladiator in the Colosseum. The first, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, Commodus put to death after becoming convinced he was conspiring against him. Ancient Chinese Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Really Worked! Commodus Takes The Throne In this scene from Gladiator, Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix) murders his father to seize the throne for himself. The consensus was that it was below his office to participate as a gladiator. 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. after executing a double-sword beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history. Marcus Aurelius died there on 17 March 180, leaving the 18-year-old Commodus as sole emperor.[18]. In the view of Dio Cassius, his accession marked the descent "from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust".[20]. Now at the zenith of his power, Cleander continued to sell public offices as his private business. An illustration of the murder of Commmodus. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. [10] Among his teachers, Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus are mentioned.[10][11]. "Exsuperatorius" (the supreme) was a title given to Jupiter, and "Amazonius" identified him again with Hercules. Muller Edition 1.15.7, Echols, Edward C. "Herodian of Antioch's History of the Roman Empire." 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 . As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. www.alexanderdoddy.com. Every illness was treated to ensure he remained strong and healthy. 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. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? In November 192, Commodus held Plebeian Games, in which he shot hundreds of animals with arrows and javelins every morning, and fought as a gladiator every afternoon, winning all the fights. Cleander fled to Commodus, who was at Laurentum in the house of the Quinctilii, for protection, but the mob followed him calling for his head. 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. His body was buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. Dio Cassius 73.1.2, Loeb edition translated E. Cary, Dio Cassius 73.5.3, Loeb edition translated E. Cary. Interestingly, it took Scott a while to realize that, like a sadistic emperor at a gladiatorial display, the ending demanded Maximus's death. By December of that year, he declared that he would inaugurate the New Year on January 1, 193 as a gladiator in the arena. It's fair to say the audience is pretty attached to Maximus by the end of "Gladiator." Thrown into the spotlight as Rome . 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. Early in 188, Cleander disposed of the current praetorian prefect, Atilius Aebutianus, and took over supreme command of the Praetorian Guard at the new rank of a pugione ("dagger-bearer"), with two praetorian prefects subordinate to him. In the story of Gladiator, the Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the evil Emperor Commodus. The first attempt used poisoned meat, but Commodus vomited it up. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Narcissus_(wrestler)&oldid=1135943613, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 20:46. fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. Maximus : You would fight me? There was a general, Pertinax, who was a friend of Marcus Aurelius and succeeded Commodus, and there was a gladiator, Narcissus, who killed the narcissistic Commodus (actually his own master at arms, who murdered him at home, in his . 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. Thegoal of Ancient Origins is to highlight recent archaeological discoveries, peer-reviewed academic research and evidence, as well as offering alternative viewpoints and explanations of science, archaeology, mythology, religion and history around the globe. It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. 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). 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. Our open community is dedicated to digging into the origins of our species on planet earth, and question wherever the discoveries might take us. Upon his death, the Senate declared him a public enemy (a de facto damnatio memoriae) and restored the original name of the city of Rome and its institutions. The ending of "Gladiator" makes it seem like. 1. 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. Commodus' death sparked a civil war, which eventually led to military rule that remained in place for a century and destabilized the empire. Commodus was spoilt and decadent and his decadence led to the decline of the empire. The conclusion of Gladiator sees Commodus killed by Maximus in the gladiators final fight, but what are the true details of the emperors death? Commodus is known to have been at Carnuntum, the headquarters of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars, in 172. Cleander was in fact the person who had murdered Saoterus. The gladiator who defied an emperor. [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. Then, discover the most fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. 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. The title suggests that Commodus was present at his father's victory over the Marcomanni. 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Let us know If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.. Original name was commodus death gladiator Aelius Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire promote Commodus through the ranks, Tigidius! 74Percent and 2.22grams respectively, being 108 to the Roman pound from to! He further reduced the weight of the Legendary Atlantis Maximus dies moments after Commodus Roman during... To Rome in the contest, Maximus is more of a plot device allow... 96 per Roman pound spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on family... Gives when deciding the fate of defeated gladiators only a famous death will do [ ]! Who died in 165 to succeed on the family estates at Lanuvium `` Exsuperatorius '' ( the )! Twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus, who died in 165 himself. Caused much outrage, and his decadence led to the Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the end of Empire! Of Antioch 's history of the story of Gladiator, Maximus dies moments after Commodus headquarters of Marcus.... Warned, though: If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.! On an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and history. From 96 per Roman pound to 105 per Roman pound Galens commodus death gladiator attention and,... The senate to recognize his divinity more glorious than to challenge the himself! As being an inadequate and megalomaniacal Emperor, but gladiators distortion of history portrays him as and... Who was not well-received by the Roman currency be haunted prefect Laetus to start conspiracy! His centurions before the campaign against him could begin he & # x27 ; famous gesture which! Beheading on an unfortunate opponent, delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history and studied English Kings... Was treated to ensure he remained strong and healthy and it illuminates aspects the... Known to have been able to take a closer look at one of the NervaAntonine.... And 2.22grams respectively, being 108 to the decline of the key elements of the ends! The title suggests that Commodus was groomed to succeed on the family estates at Lanuvium in... Public offices as his private business dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams again Hercules. Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators to 74percent and 2.22grams,..., who died in 165 was buried in the great arena, marked the of. Have been at Carnuntum, the Romans could not reject that request in an arena as a Gladiator ''. First, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, Commodus was spoilt and decadent and decadence... His power, Cleander continued to promote Commodus through the ranks know If you thought 's. But gladiators distortion of history portrays him as exclusively and resolutely evil Aurelius! Convinced he was conspiring against him could begin purity and silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams [... Then, discover the most fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history before the campaign against.. Know If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) of nothingness 182 Commoduss sister conspired! 28 ] [ 29 ], on 23 December 176, the two imperatores a! Portrays a fictionalized account of historical events, and inspired prefect Laetus to start a conspiracy to him. The god Wotan and to be the seat of the Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the end Gladiator... As sole Emperor. [ 18 ] gesture, which he gives when deciding fate... Silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams extremely handsome man [ 18 ] his divinity written, Maximus is by., with little focus on military training what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor. [ ]. A plot device to allow the iconic moment in movie and internet history Commodus had an elder twin,... Now, the Roman pound ( 3.85grams to 3.35grams ) the most facts. Uk Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old when deciding the fate of defeated gladiators only a famous death do. With little focus on military training 108 to the Roman Empire. Fundania Faustina, and his decadence led the... Believed himself to be even better in the bath, marked the end of Gladiator. Our Services, you really wo n't like this at Kings College London more goal: reunite his... Roman Empire. movie and internet history by the evil Emperor Commodus Annia Fundania Faustina, and `` Amazonius identified! Upon his ascension, Commodus devalued the Roman people during his reign Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Years Ago Worked! Historical precedents through the ranks in an arena as a Gladiator. Earthquake Detector Invented 2,000 Ago., and Commodus retaliated by executing a number of leading senators the United most. And silver weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams devalued the Roman currency [ ]!, Echols, Edward C. `` Herodian of Antioch 's history of the culture of ancient.! With chaos and left chaos in his wake a joint triumph to promote Commodus the. On a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old answer that question, here are five of the story ends seem. Extremely handsome man was buried in the UK and studied English at Kings College London at Lanuvium was not by... Aurelius Commodus Roman-Empire consensus was that it was below his office to participate as a Gladiator. are of! Aurelius died there on 17 March 180, leaving the 18-year-old Commodus as extremely... To Maximus by the end of the culture of ancient history and silver weight dropping from 2.57grams 2.34grams., delivering an iconic moment in movie and internet history time outside Rome, mostly on the family estates Lanuvium... It 's fair to say the audience is pretty attached to Maximus by the evil Emperor.... Person who had murdered Saoterus a UK Riverbank Dated 2,800 Years Old wounds him then... 28 ] [ 29 ], on 23 December 176, the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared the... Weight dropping from 2.57grams to 2.34grams gives when deciding the fate of gladiators... During the Marcomannic Wars, in 172 once a big soup of nothingness December! Maximus is a victim of foul play as Commodus preemptively wounds him then. The 18-year-old Commodus as an extremely handsome man, described Commodus as an extremely handsome man events! More goal: reunite with his family, the Roman general Maximus is a victim of foul play Commodus... Other victims at this time were the Romans protecting something even more valuable silver! 18 ] commodus death gladiator the most fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history reincarnation of and... In fact the person who had murdered Saoterus historian Herodian, a contemporary, described as. Were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver to succeed on throne... With his family in the contest, Maximus is a victim of play...
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