|
Born in Lanuvium in AD 161, Commodus was the son of Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina. He is the emperor featured in the wildly inaccurate, but fun, film "Gladiator". The film revolves around a fictional general, who (we are told) the emperor Marcus Aurelius
wanted as an heir. This is ridiculous. Commodus was made Caesar (and thus heir) five years before his father's death, and full co-emperor with him two years later. Commodus proved to be a very poor son of a very great father. He withdrew from government early in his sole reign, being happier to disgrace his position by fighting near-dead animals in the amphitheatre. As his reign progressed, he became more insane, eventually believing himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules. He renamed Rome "Commodopolis" in his own honour. After many failed attempts, a plot finally succeeded, and he was murdered on 31/12/192.
|
