commodus death gladiator

[40][41] For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million sesterces, straining the Roman economy. Commodus never killed his gladiatorial adversaries, instead accepting their surrenders. Gladiator follows Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), who is chosen by the ailing Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) to succeed him as the new Caesar.This doesn't sit well with Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Marcus, who murders his . The assassination attempt marked a turning point in Commodus reign, for once [he had] tasted human blood, he became incapable of pity or remorse. He began executing people without regard for rank, wealth, or sex. In 182 A.D., Commodus sister Lucilla organized an attempt on her brothers life. Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) is a Roman historical epic, considered to be one of Scott's directorial movie masterpieces. This horrified the Roman people. It is uncertain whether Rupilia Faustina was Frugi's daughter by Salonia Matidia or another woman. Russell Crowe's Maximus asks the crowd "Are you not entertained?" Faustina was the daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius and was Aurelius first cousin. As a second attempt, the conspirators had Commodus wrestling partner, ironically named Narcissus, strangle Commodus in his bath. However, just when the days of the mad emperors seemed long gone, Commodus brought the madness roaring back. Commodus accompanied his father during the Marcomannic Wars in 172, and on a tour of the Eastern provinces in 176. As Greek mythology goes, the universe was once a big soup of nothingness. The Chilling Mystery of the Octavius Ghost Ship, What is a Wendigo? 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. Moreover, as Hercules, he could claim to be the son of Jupiter, the supreme god of the Roman pantheon. Sources diverge on the origins of the conspiracy, with some claiming Lucilla was jealous of Commodus wife Crispina (incest between Commodus and Lucilla is suggested in Gladiator) while others maintain she saw the first warning signs of her brothers mental instability. 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. Ridley Scott's Gladiator famously kills off Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the end, but the original plan for the ending was very different. [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]. Augustus was about the same age when he first assumed political power, but Commodus was no Augustus. The following year he became the youngest emperor and consul up to that point, at the age of 16. 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). Every illness was treated to ensure he remained strong and healthy. The pivotal 2000 historical drama follows the betrayed general, Maximus, on a quest for revenge against Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the usurper emperor of Rome, who murdered his wife and son. 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. 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. 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 . 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. The megalomania of Commodus was not limited to the Colosseum. The gladiator who defied an emperor. 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Narcissus_(wrestler)&oldid=1135943613, This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 20:46. . 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. 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. It is the type of death indicative of Commodus notoriety as an emperor, which is fundamental to Gladiators plot, but the film is imaginative in its depiction of his death to provide closure to Maximus. 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. Despite the fact that Commodus caused much anger and resentment during his reign, few written records were kept about his life. [12][13][14] Commodus was the first (and until 337, the only) emperor "born in the purple," meaning during his father's reign. The film stars Russell Crowe as General Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is forced into the life of a gladiator after his family is murdered by the Emperor's son, Commodus. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Then, discover the most fascinating facts from the entirety of ancient history. The final fight of Ridley Scott's Gladiator is relatively short, but it works very well for the movie's somewhat historically accurate story. He is viewed as having been an inept emperor, his megalomaniac tendencies leading to odd behaviors which frustrated and upset the Roman people. However, even these favorites were not safe from his fury. 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. The Eastern Tour - Chapter II: 4:01. Meanwhile, Commodus was lapsing into insanity. Cassius Dio recorded one incident where, after becoming tired out, Commodus ordered a cup of chilled wine to him and drank it at one gulp. In an amusing anecdote, Dio continued, At this both the populace and we senators all immediately shouted out the words so familiar at drinking-bouts, Long life to you!'. Striking story! wahrscheinlich aber erfand Commodus diese Geschichte selber, um seine Sonderrolle zu unterstreichen. Wife of M. Annius Verus: Giacosa (1977), p. 10. [10] Among his teachers, Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus are mentioned.[10][11]. Commodus ( / kmds /; [4] 31 August 161 - 31 December 192) was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. Commodus was a secutor, a type of gladiator who carried a gladius and a heavy shield. In 180 AD, Marcus Aurelius died, leaving Commodus as sole Emperor of Rome. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves . 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. The first, Sextus Tigidius Perennis, Commodus put to death after becoming convinced he was conspiring against him. 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. 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. Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree. Unfortunately, the damage to Rome was already done. Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was born on 31 August AD161 in Lanuvium, near Rome. 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. 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). Soon after he became sole ruler, Lucius changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus. AtAncient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Unrest around the empire increased, with large numbers of army deserters causing trouble in Gaul and Germany. However, in private practice fights, Commodus would slay his opponents. 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 . Jack is a feature writer for Screen Rant. A bust of Commodus as a youth. Julia Balbilla a possible lover of Sabina: A. R. Birley (1997). Commodus Roman Emperor In Power Nov 27, 176 - Dec 31, 192 Born Aug 31, 161Lanuvium, Italy Died Dec 31, 192 (aged 31)Rome, Italy Wife Bruttia Crispina Father Marcus Aurelius Mother Faustina the Younger Lucius Aurelius Commodus was born in Lanuvium, near Rome, on August 31, 161. [39] Dio also wrote that it was Commodus's custom to privately use deadly weapons to fight, murdering and maiming his opponents. Well, kind of, but not really. Were theonlyPop Archaeology site combining scientific research with out-of-the-box perspectives. In fact, the rule of Commodus might have gone down as quite unremarkable in the history of Rome were it not for one unfortunate incident. ( Naughtynimitz/CC BY-SA 3.0 ). One of these is Commodus' relationship with his sister Lucilla. According to Cassius Dio, Commodus once killed 100 lions in a single day. Commodus as Killing Machine and Gladiator Commodus as Megalomaniac The End of Commodus Like Father, Not Like Son Commodus's father Marcus Aurelius was a morally upright and beloved emperor who ruled Rome through a devastating plague epidemic and endless frontier wars against invading Germanic tribes. After a failed assassination attempt in 182, however, his rule became erratic and brutal, and he imagined himself to be Hercules. [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]. A small group of conspirators, including the emperors chamberlain and mistress, Marcia, decided to kill him. The long line of ancient Roman emperors is marked by a strange pattern: Almost every exceptionally brilliant emperor was succeeded by an exceptionally mad one. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. He took the throne as regent, but was killed by Maximus in the Colosseum. As promised in another well-known speech, Maximus does indeed have his revenge on father-/emperor-/wife-/child-killer Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). "Commodus' progeny will rule Rome!" "Back!" yelled the Praetorian guard. 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 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). Commodus mistress, Marcia, played an important role in his assassination. 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. Cookies help us deliver our Services. 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). And what could be more glorious than to challenge the Emperor himself in the great arena? His mother was Annia Galeria Faustina, a member of the Roman nobility and the daughter of the emperor Antoninus Pius. He executed the two would-be assassins along with a group of prominent senators who were also allegedly involved while Lucilla was exiled to Capri before also being killed on her brothers orders a year later. Commodus also had a passion for gladiatorial combat, which he took so far as to take to the arena himself, dressed as a secutor. He also believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and enjoyed fighting in an arena as a gladiator. On the other hand, the real Emperor Commodus was even more outlandish than Gladiator's version in some ways, as he renamed Rome "the Colony of Commodus" at one point. Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus was no augustus a power struggle leaves zu unterstreichen A.D., Commodus to. Soup of nothingness upset the Roman people moreover, as Hercules, could! To Cassius Dio, Commodus, and he imagined himself to be a reincarnation of and. 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