Commodus
Commodus (/ˈkɒmədəs/; Latin: Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus; 31 August 161 AD – 31 December 192 AD), was Roman Emperor from 180 to 192. He also ruled as co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until his father's death in 180.
His accession as emperor was the first time a son had succeeded his father since Titus succeeded Vespasian in 79. He was also the first emperor to have both a father and grandfather (who had adopted his father) as the two preceding emperors. Commodus was the first (and until 337, the only) emperor "born in the purple", i.e., during his father's reign.
Commodus was assassinated in 192.
Early life and rise to power (161–180)
Early life
Commodus was born on 31 August 161, as Commodus, in Lanuvium, near Rome. He was the son of the reigning emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius' first cousin, Faustina the Younger; the youngest daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. Commodus had an elder twin brother, Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus, who died in 165. On 12 October 166, Commodus was made Caesar together with his younger brother, Marcus Annius Verus. The latter died in 169 having failed to recover from an operation, which left Commodus as Marcus Aurelius' sole surviving son.
Commodus (disambiguation)
Commodus (Latin for "commodious, useful, pleasant") usually refers to Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, son of Marcus Aurelius and 17th emperor of Rome.
It may also refer to:
- Lucius Ceionius Commodus, consul in AD 78
- Lucius Ceionius Commodus, consul in AD 106
- Lucius Ceionius Commodus (AD 101–138), the birth name of Lucius Aelius, Hadrian's intended successor
- Lucius Ceionius Commodus or L. Aelius Aurelius Commodus (AD 130–169), early names of Marcus Aurelius's coëmperor Lucius Verus (r. 161–169)
Gladiator (2000 film)
Gladiator is a 2000 British-American epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott, and starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed (in his final film role before his death), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays the fictional character, loyal Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor.
The film was released in the United States on May 5, 2000, and was a box office success, receiving generally positive reviews and being credited with rekindling interest in the historical epic. The film won multiple awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Crowe, and three other Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards.
Plot
In AD 180, Spanish-Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army to a decisive victory against the Germanic tribes near Vindobona, ending a long war on the Roman frontier and winning the favor of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Maximus, weary of battle, decides to retire at his Spanish farm estate at the Emperor's behest, but the Emperor tells him that his son and heir to the throne, Commodus, is unfit to rule and so appoints Maximus as regent to help save Rome from corruption. Before Maximus makes his decision, Commodus is confronted by his father who tells him that he will not be emperor. Burdened by grief and believing he was never valued by his father, Commodus murders him.
