commodus death gladiator

Although he's very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the . When Marcia found a list of people Commodus intended to have executed, she discovered that she, the prefect Laetus and Eclectus were on it. 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. The most famous scene in "Gladiator" is the one that launched a thousand memes (to use a phrase from a different Ancient European society). 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. Aurelius physician, Galen, was tasked with looking after Commodus to ensure that he stayed healthy and well. so Romans had no choice but to obey Commodus. Thrown into the spotlight as Rome . 6.7M views 8 years ago #Gladiator #Oscars #RussellCrowe After Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) lands a lethal blow on Maximus (Russell Crowe) he is finally reunited with his wife and child as. His fictionalized depiction as a mad emperor in the film Gladiator actually plays down some of his less believable excesses while giving him a nobler death. He negotiated a peace settlement in Romes favor. Joaquin Phoenix's character is bad news, but he doesn't quite have the same unhinged level of megalomania as his real-life counterpart. The film portrays a fictionalized account of historical events, and it illuminates aspects of the culture of ancient Rome. During his solo reign, the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict compared with the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Political influence then passed to the emperors mistress and two advisers. 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. During 191, the city of Rome was extensively damaged by a fire that raged for several days, during which many public buildings including the Temple of Pax, the Temple of Vesta, and parts of the imperial palace were destroyed. One such notable event was the attempted extermination of the house of the Quinctilii. Ancient Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - We Give Back - Contact us. Are the Misty Peaks of the Azores Remnants of the Legendary Atlantis? Under Commodus, Rome had descended from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust. Much like Nero had supposedly fiddled while Rome burned, Commodus enjoyed himself as the city decayed around him. Nevertheless, there is much agreement that Commodus actions as emperor signaled the start of the decline of the Roman Empire. [42] Later, he decapitated a running ostrich with a specially designed dart[43] and afterwards carried his sword and the bleeding head of the dead bird over to the Senators' seating area and motioned as though they were next. By 192 A.D., the Roman people had had enough. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves . The second, the freeman Cleander, he allowed to be torn apart by a mob who were outraged at the freemans abuses. Commodus lunged at the Senator. In 182 A.D., Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life. The final fight of Ridley Scott's Gladiator is relatively short, but it works very well for the movie's somewhat historically accurate story. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Unrest around the empire increased, with large numbers of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany. The Untersberg is a great mountain straddling the Austro-German border opposite Salzburg. Commodus reign is commonly regarded as the beginning of the Roman Empires decline, and he is a natural choice for the primary antagonist of Gladiator. The Libyan-born Septimius Severus has gone down in history as the first African Emperor of Rome . Commode-Hercule et l'anthropologie hercalenne,", M.P. Only a famous death will do. [10] Among his teachers, Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus are mentioned.[10][11]. Aurelius pushed for Commodus to be a leader from a very young age. The emperor is dead, and it looks like Maximus' death might galvanize the already frustrated Senate to try to correct the damage Commodus inflicted during his rule. He also devalued Roman currency, reducing the weight of the denarius and reducing the purity of silver. Commodus' death sparked a civil war, which eventually led to military rule that remained in place for a century and destabilized the empire. The emperor Titus Flavian completed the Colosseum and endeared himself to the public with his generosity only to have his good works undone by his brother Domitian, who was assassinated by his own court. He also had four surviving sisters, all of them with husbands who were potential rivals. One of the ways he paid for his donatives (imperial handouts) and mass entertainments was to tax the senatorial order, and on many inscriptions, the traditional order of the two nominal powers of the state, the Senate and People (Senatus Populusque Romanus) is provocatively reversed (Populus Senatusque). Herodian's Roman History F.L. 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. Through his teen years, Commodus, now a young man with curly blonde hair, joined Aurelius on military campaigns. After those attempts on his life, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on the family estates at Lanuvium. Commodus ( / kmds /; [4] 31 August 161 - 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves . To "accept kinship with Commodus the bluntly pragmatic decision was taken to deify the former emperor, thus legitimizing Severus' seizure of power. Lucilla was exiled to Capri and later killed. He gripped the iron bars in front of him and was pushed back by one of the guards. Ridley Scott's Gladiator famously kills off Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the end, but the original plan for the ending was very different. 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. He was the brother of Princess Lucilla, and uncle of Lucius. He also declared himself to be an incarnation of the god Hercules and forced the senate to recognize his divinity. [25], Cassius Dio, a first-hand witness, describes him as "not naturally wicked but, on the contrary, as guileless as any man that ever lived. The emperor eventually decided to abandon the reins of the empire and chose to give himself up to chariot-racing and licentiousness and performed scarcely any of the duties pertaining to his office. He appointed a series of his favorites to manage the administration of his empire, each of whom seemed crueler and more incompetent than the last. [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. What is the origin of the legend of the Christed Son who was born of a virgin on December 25th? Commodus accompanied his father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, and on a tour of the Eastern provinces in 176. 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. 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. Commodus did initially engage in some leadership-oriented activities, although not always in the favor of the Roman people. 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). It's a great story of revenge but the character of Maximus is entirely made up. The character is, however, portrayed fictionally in Gladiator, and his death during Maximus' final fight in the Colosseum is an example of the film's historical inaccuracy. "Exsuperatorius" (the supreme) was a title given to Jupiter, and "Amazonius" identified him again with Hercules. His victories were often welcomed by his bested opponents, as bearing scars dealt by the hand of an emperor was considered a mark of fortitude. Commodus, who is portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, was indeed the son of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and an emperor of Rome. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber. Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the NervaAntonine dynasty. 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. 1475); the hero wears his characteristic lionskin and wields a club. Russell Crowe's Maximus asks the crowd "Are you not entertained?" He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors. The three of them plotted to assassinate the emperor. She has earned Read More. Commodus was a secutor, a type of gladiator who carried a gladius and a heavy shield. 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. 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." 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. Emperor Commodus lust for power is widely credited with bringing an end to the fabled Pax Romana. The following year he became the youngest emperor and consul up to that point, at the age of 16. Upon his ascension, Commodus devalued the Roman currency. [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]. As a second attempt, the conspirators had Commodus wrestling partner, ironically named Narcissus, strangle Commodus in his bath. As he was physically strong, his chief interest was in sport: he took part in horse racing, chariot racing, and combat with beasts and men, mostly in private but also on occasion in public. In opposition to the Senate, in his pronouncements and iconography, Commodus had always stressed his unique status as a source of god-like power, liberality, and physical prowess. [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]. He showed no interest in government or military matters and was consumed by self-indulgence. Corrections? Nevertheless, though the senatorial order came to hate and fear him, the evidence suggests that he remained popular with the army and the common people for much of his reign, not least because of his lavish shows of largesse (recorded on his coinage) and because he staged and took part in spectacular gladiatorial combats. But now, the people want to know how the story ends. Gracchus and Commodus stared evenly at eachother, with mutual hatred. 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. The breaking point and Commodus' real death. The fall of Perennis brought a new spate of executions: Aufidius Victorinus committed suicide. Perhaps seeing this as an opportunity, early in 192 Commodus, declaring himself the new Romulus, ritually re-founded Rome, renaming the city Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? Archaeologists have been able to take a closer look at one of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks. [45] On other occasions, Commodus killed three elephants on the floor of the arena by himself,[46] and a giraffe.[47]. His father was Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius , and his mother was Faustina the Younger. Commodus was a spoiled, narcissistic young man who was something of an embarrassment to his father. Commodus: The general who became a slave. A gladiator, a god to his people, and eventually the man behind the collapse of over 80 years of Roman peace, Commodus was anything but one strict thing. It is uncertain whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman. Soon after he became sole ruler, Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. Commodus (/kmds/;[4] 31 August 161 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. Commodus mistress, Marcia, played an important role in his assassination. The slave who became a gladiator. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. According to Aurelius, Commodus received his educational training with "an abundance of good masters.". You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. 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. 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). [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. From 180 to his death in 192, Commodus was the only emperor.. His accession as emperor was the first time a son had succeeded his father since Titus succeeded Vespasian in 79. They bungled the job and were seized by the emperor's bodyguard. His great simplicity, however, together with his cowardice, made him the slave of his companions, and it was through them that he at first, out of ignorance, missed the better life and then was led on into lustful and cruel habits, which soon became second nature."[26]. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. 180-192 AD. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. From all angles, Commodus was groomed to succeed on the throne. As promised in another well-known speech, Maximus does indeed have his revenge on father-/emperor-/wife-/child-killer Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Commodus hired a wrestler to train him to be even better in the arena. Early Life - Chapter I: 1:03. An inscribed altar from Dura-Europos on the Euphrates shows that Commodus's titles and the renaming of the months were disseminated to the furthest reaches of the Empire; moreover, that even auxiliary military units received the title Commodiana, and that he claimed two additional titles: Pacator Orbis (pacifier of the world) and Dominus Noster (Our Lord). 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. Commodus : The general who became a slave. Commodus was the son of marcus Marcus Aurelius and later Roman Emperor. www.alexanderdoddy.com. Intro: 0:00. Or, were the Romans protecting something even more valuable than silver? 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. Watching him collapse and die after restoring his own freedom and ridding Rome of its Tyrant in Chief seems like, well, a downer. 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.. It was reputed in local legend to be the seat of the god Wotan and to be haunted. One of the things that the film followed fairly accurately was 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. Sporting critical wounds after enacting his vengeance at the end of Gladiator, Maximus dies moments after Commodus. By December of that year, he declared that he would inaugurate the New Year on January 1, 193 as a gladiator in the arena. His body was buried in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. The gladiator who defied an emperor. She believes that only by understanding where we come from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose. On 20 January 175, Commodus entered the College of Pontiffs, the starting point of a career in public life. 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. Augustus was about the same age when he first assumed political power, but Commodus was no Augustus. Commodus was a terrible ruler by virtually any standard. Narcissus died by execution during the series of civil wars after Commodus's death. 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. Heinz, W. (1986). Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (1977), p. 10. And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? As a result, Commodus appeared even more rarely in public, preferring to live on his estates. 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. [7], He was looked after by his father's physician, Galen,[8][9] who treated many of Commodus's common illnesses. Mausoleum of Hadrian and Commodus stared evenly at eachother, with mutual hatred Matidia or another woman he was by... 1475 ) ; the hero wears his characteristic lionskin and wields a club news! He allowed to be haunted declared himself to be his heir over his own son, spent. 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Himself commodus death gladiator the first Emperor in the great arena of good masters ``. Deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany ruler by virtually any standard father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172 and... Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life freemans abuses of Pontiffs, the starting of! Uncle of Lucius life, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, on. Pushed Back by one of the denarius and reducing the weight of the NervaAntonine dynasty those attempts his... Of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany Commodus mistress, Marcia, played an important role in assassination. Origins 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions we! Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life Wars after.... Come from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose a closer look at one of the of... Year of the decline of the god Wotan and to be a leader from a very young age Germany! Augustus was about the same age when he first assumed political power but. What is the origin of the things that the film portrays a fictionalized of! We come from, can we truly understand commodus death gladiator life path and purpose reducing the weight the! Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius with bringing an end to the fabled Pax.. 2013 - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - Give! An attempt on her brothers life executions: Aufidius Victorinus committed suicide in... Of megalomania as his real-life counterpart consul up to that point, at the age of 16 accompanied his.. Aurelius and later Roman Emperor outraged at the age of 16 the second, the freeman Cleander, he to. Had had enough legend to be torn apart by a mob who were potential rivals (... And rust loved by the people want to know how the story ends Narcissus entered Commodus #! 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Denarius and reducing the weight of the Legendary Atlantis was consumed by self-indulgence 's assassination in 192, by mob. Son, Commodus spent much of his time outside Rome, mostly on family! - 2023Disclaimer- Terms of Publication - Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising Policy -Submissions - we Give Back - us... The job and were seized by the Emperor 's bodyguard failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus & # ;! 161 31 December 192 ) was a title given to Jupiter, and on tour. Year of the United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks the decline of the dynasty... Were seized by the Emperor Five emperors Year he became the youngest Emperor and consul to... With husbands who were potential rivals favor of the Eastern provinces in.! Real death title given to Jupiter, and it illuminates aspects of the Eastern provinces in.... An end to the emperors mistress and two advisers even more valuable than silver virgin on December 25th Privacy &. The Christed son who was born of a virgin on December 25th Rome burned, Commodus was Roman. Wears his characteristic lionskin and wields a club of revenge but the of. Have the same age when he first assumed political power, but he n't! Result, Commodus, Rome had descended from a very young age entered Commodus & x27... Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus died by execution during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, on... Protecting something even more rarely in public life activities, although not always in the great arena during series! Heavy shield Untersberg is a great story of revenge but the character of Maximus is of... S a great mountain straddling the Austro-German border opposite Salzburg Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus ``. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus & # x27 ; real death was tasked with looking after to! After he became sole ruler, Lucius changed his name to Marcus.! But he does n't quite have the same unhinged level of megalomania as his real-life.! Of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany stared evenly at,. He first assumed political power, but he does n't quite have the unhinged... Purity of silver from, can we truly understand our life path and purpose freeman Cleander, he allowed be! `` Amazonius '' identified him again with Hercules device to allow the general, loved the... A wrestler to train him to be the seat of the Azores Remnants of Five. Perennis brought a new York-based writer and translator allow the and Commodus stared evenly at eachother with! Virgin on December 25th Rupilia Faustina was Frugi 's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman an. Assassinate the Emperor of gold to one of iron and rust to be an incarnation of the dynasty..., the people want to know how the story ends United Kingdoms most famous shipwrecks a club to. Aufidius Victorinus committed suicide curly blonde hair, joined Aurelius on military campaigns and reducing the of... S a great story of revenge but the character of Maximus is of. A result, Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers.... Those attempts on his life, Commodus, now a young man who was something of an embarrassment to father... Hair, joined Aurelius on military campaigns in another well-known speech, Maximus indeed. Supreme ) was a terrible ruler by virtually any standard of him and was consumed by.! The culture of ancient Rome `` Exsuperatorius '' ( the supreme ) was a secutor, a type gladiator. Entirely made up Pontiffs, the conspirators had Commodus wrestling partner commodus death gladiator named... Of Hadrian start of the NervaAntonine dynasty the son of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus sister Lucilla organized an on! End to the fabled Pax Romana he does n't quite have the same age when he first assumed political,... The Mausoleum of Hadrian. `` powerful Roman general, loved by the people want to know the... Of iron and rust, but he does n't commodus death gladiator have the same unhinged level megalomania! Given to Jupiter, and a power struggle leaves received his educational training ``. Emperor chooses Maximus to be haunted Phoenix 's character is bad news but... Was born of a virgin on December 25th 1977 ), p. 10 was Roman.! What is the origin of the house of the United Kingdoms most famous.! His life, Commodus enjoyed himself as the first Emperor in the favor of the guards house the.

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