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Ancient Rome is brimmed with great heroes and personalities whose stories are have been told through the ages and around the world. Among these stories are that of Julius Gaius Caesar, Nero, Caligula, and Emperor Commodus, who ungracefully led the great Rome to it’s doom.
Born on August 31 161 AD in what is now Lanuvio in Italy, Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was born to Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the Younger, the daughter of Emperor Antoninous Pius.
Commodus had no living brothers, as his twin died at the age of four, he was brought up to be Emperor. At the age of sixteen, his father declared him co-Emperor. Commodus was a spoiled and narcissistic man who was even an embarrassment to his father. He had no interest in government matters an was self-indulged.
His father died in 180 AD, making Commodus the sole Emperor of Rome. He immediately named himself Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninous Augustus and, throughout his reign, from 177 to 192 AD, he became increasingly cruel and sadistic.
He saw himself as Hercules reborn and took to wearing lion skins, as Hercules did to match his hero’s appearances
. His favourite activity was acting the part of a gladiator dressed in his lion skin. It was unacceptable for an Emperor to partake in such activities and it caused much scandal. His chosen competitors were either helpless animals or physically challenged citizens of Rome, often soldiers who had been mained in war.
His competitors were sometimes tied together so Commodus could kill two with just a blow. He charged the Roman’s highly each time he made an appearance in the arena and wiped out an entire family, the Quinctilius, for just being wealthy and popular and only one child from the family survived.
He commanded the Senate his name was changed from Commodus to Hercules, the son of Zeus and even changed the names of the calendar months after himself and erected statues of himself all over the city.
His closest advisor, Perennis attempted to assassinate him but failed and was executed. His next advisor was blamed for the shortage of food and him, along with his wife, children, and closet friends were executed.
He married Bruttia Crispina when she was sixteen and ten years after their marriage, she was banished and later executed for adultery. He had a harem of over three hundred women and a boy who was named “The Boy Who Loves Commodus.” Commodus’ favourite woman, Marcia in 193 AD
brought him a glass of poisoned wine while he was preparing to bath. Unfortunately, his stomach rejected the wine but while he was cleaning himself in the bath, Narcissus, a wrestler was brought in and he choked Commodus until he died.
His rule had devalued the currency and the economy collapsed, leading the country into a civil war that lasted for four years. His rule was the beginning of the end for the famous empire.
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