The True Story of Commodus | The Insane Gladiator Emperor

Commodus, the Emperor of Rome from the year 177-192 AD, is often remembered as a sadistic, power-hungry ruler, a portrayal popularised by the film Gladiator. However, the true story of his reign paints a far stranger and more disturbing picture. Believing himself to be the living incarnation of the god Hercules, Commodus became obsessed with gladiatorial combat, not as a warrior, but as a means to glorify his own ego. He fought in the Colosseum, facing dwarves, wild animals and even gladiators, who were forbidden from harming him, all while wielding blunt weapons to ensure his safety. His participation in these spectacles drained Rome's coffers as he paid himself for each appearance. Commodus' rule was marked by cruelty, paranoia and delusions of grandeur. He had his sister murdered for plotting against him, his wife executed to make room for his mistress, and purged the senate of anyone who opposed him. His reckless decisions led to economic decline and famine. His erratic behaviour and obsession with power has cemented his legacy as one of Rome's most infamous and self-destructive emperors. This is his story. Commodus was born in the year 161 AD, the son of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor, whose introspective meditations remain one of the most revered works of ancient philosophy. His mother was Faustina the Younger, the youngest daughter of the late emperor Antonius Pius. Faustina was also Marcus' first cousin, creating a strong dynastic link between the two. Together, they had fourteen children, but only Commodus and four daughters survived into adulthood. Before the birth of Commodus and his twin brother Titus, Faustina reportedly had a vivid and ominous dream, in which he gave birth to two snakes, one more powerful than the other. Tragically, this vision seemed to tell the future. Titus died young, followed by several of their siblings, while Commodus alone survived. Commodus received a comprehensive education, tutored by numerous scholars who aimed to cultivate his intellect. Despite these formative years of learning, the Historia Augusta suggests that Commodus' character began showing signs of troubling behaviour early in life. One notorious story recounts how at just twelve years old, Commodus ordered one of his servants to be thrown into a furnace because the servant had failed to heat his bath to the correct temperature. The servant's life was only spared by the quick thinking of another slave, who threw a sheepskin into the furnace to produce a smoke that convinced the young heir that his demand had been met. By the year 176 AD, Marcus Aurelius named Commodus as co-emperor, a decision that seemed to reflect his desire to prepare his son for future leadership. However, Commodus' early reign did not indicate the promise of a wise ruler. Instead, he indulged in a life of excess, devoting himself to gladiatorial combat and chariot racing, activities that distracted him from the duties of governance. He surrounded himself with sycophants and flatterers, further isolating himself from the responsibilities of ruling an empire. Perhaps in a final attempt to instill some sense of discipline, Marcus took Commodus with him on a military campaign against the Macromani tribe in northern Europe. These were the Germanic people who lived close to the border of the Roman Empire, hoping the experience would temper his son's reckless tendencies. It was on this northern campaign on March 17th in the year 180 AD, that Marcus Aurelius passed away. The Roman public held Marcus Aurelius in deep esteem, admiring him for his stoic philosophy, both by nature and education. As emperor, he skillfully managed the empire's expansion and consolidation, always striving to support his people during difficult times, such as the devastating plague. His greatest achievement was his steadfast leadership during the empire's first true pandemic, the Parthian War and the Germanic Wars. Under his guidance, the Roman Empire flourished, upheld by his unwavering commitment to virtue and wisdom. However, upon Marcus' death, his son Commodus ascended to the throne, with the promise of finishing the war against the Germanic tribes, a conflict that was, in fact, nearly won. Yet, despite victory being within reach, Commodus abruptly abandoned the campaign, opting instead to return to Rome. The Roman historian Cassius Dio lamented this shift, describing Commodus' reign as the empire's fall, from a kingdom of gold to one of iron and rust. When Commodus took full control, his early years as emperor were marked by little success or sound judgement. His reign witnessed several uprisings across the empire, notably in Britain and North Africa, as well as renewed conflicts along the Danube. Yet, aside from these disturbances, the empire experienced a period of relative peace and prosperity. In Rome, however, a darker atmosphere pervaded the capital. The aristocratic elite who surrounded Commodus indulged in decadence, excess and violence, and the city became a breeding ground for depravity. Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius, had once been empress by virtue of her marriage to Lucius Verus, who co-ruled with her father. As the years passed, she grew increasingly alarmed by her brother's erratic behaviour and the instability it fostered within the empire. Lucilla, being over a decade older than Commodus, had the rank of Augusta as the widow of Verus, and later married Tiberius Claudius Pompanius, a respected Roman general of Syrian descent. Two years into Commodus' reign, Lucilla, alarmed by his behaviour and fearing for the stability of the empire, became embroiled in a conspiracy to assassinate him. Her plan was to have Commodus killed and to place herself and her husband in power as the new rulers of Rome. To execute this plot, Lucilla enlisted her own nephew who was tasked with hiding behind a pillar in the Colosseum and striking down the emperor. Commodus was lured into the trap under false pretenses. As the would-be assassin moved in, he hesitated. Instead of striking the emperor immediately, he cried out, this is what the senate has sent for you. This brief moment of delay gave Commodus' elite praetorian guard the opportunity to spring into action and the assassin was swiftly killed. Lucilla's role in the plot was soon uncovered and she was exiled to the island of Capri along with her daughter. Commodus, however, soon regretted the perceived mercy he had shown his sister. Weeks later, he sent a loyal centurion to Capri with orders to kill both Lucilla and her daughter, ensuring that the threat was extinguished. The betrayal of his own sister seemed to unravel what little was left of Commodus' fragile mental state. The emotional and psychological toll of Lucilla's plot against him drove the emperor further into paranoia. Following the execution of his sister and niece, he believed that plots and conspiracies were lurking around every corner. He began to see treachery even in the smallest actions, and a violent purge soon followed. The historical sources describe a relentless wave of executions during this period. While it's impossible to determine the authenticity of all the alleged conspiracies, it's clear that Commodus, overwhelmed by suspicion and fear, embarked on a campaign of terror, purging the aristocracy of anyone who had gained influence under his father's reign. The senate, once a pillar of Roman governance, was emptied of its most powerful members. Amidst this bloodshed, Commodus neglected his imperial duties, leaving much of the day-to-day governance of the empire to a group of corrupt and self-serving advisors. The prefects, who commanded the Praetorian Guard, the emperor's personal bodyguards, became key players in this web of violence and extortion. While his empire fell deeper into chaos, Commodus detached from the affairs of the state, and fixated his attention on the bloodsport of the arenas. It was there in the sand of the Colosseum that he found solace, indulging in gladiatorial games and displays of power, while the empire he ruled descended further into disorder. Thus began his reign of terror. Commodus harboured an intense passion for gladiatorial combat, a fixation so extreme that he personally entered the arena, donning the attire of a class of gladiator known for their heavy armour and longsword, known as a Secutor. His participation in these brutal games scandalised Roman society, for gladiators were seen as the lowest of the low, often enslaved or criminals. To see an emperor, once revered as a leader of men and the protector of the empire, engage in such debasing acts was considered beneath his station. Herodian, a contemporary historian, captured the public outrage, noting that spectators found it unseemly for an emperor to fight for sport, when he could have been leading military campaigns against Rome's barbarian foes. The consensus among the Roman elite was clear, the emperor was expected to command armies, not step into the arena as a gladiator. Popular rumours soon spread, with some even suggesting that Commodus was not the true son of Marcus Aurelius, but rather the illegitimate offspring of a gladiator, a notion fuelled by the scandalous reputation of his mother Faustina, who was infamous in her numerous alleged affairs. Cassius Dio, a senator under Commodus, offered more graphic details of the emperor's dangerous obsession with the gladiatorial games. He wrote that Commodus often fought in the arena, sometimes killing his opponents, though in less formal contests, he would merely maim them. Dio recounted how Commodus would make exaggerated wild swings with his sword, occasionally taking off noses, ears or other features of his opponents. His enemies were always required to surrender rather than fight to the death, which ensured that he never faced defeat. The emperor's victories were often received with gratitude by those he bested, for the marks of having been defeated by the emperor himself were seen as a sign of strength, even honour. Moreover, Dio describes Commodus as a ruler who took cruelty to an extreme. In one disturbing incident, he had Roman citizens without feet brought to the arena. He had them all tied together so that he could strike them down with a club, pretending that he was a giant. Commodus also had a habit for secretly using deadly weapons in private sparring matches, where his opponents, usually slaves, were forced to fight him. The slaves knew that a victory against the emperor would most likely result in their execution. While Commodus' actions in the arena became a source of both fascination and revulsion, they were also an opportunity for him to assert power and superiority. He took particular pleasure in including dwarfs in his gladiatorial exhibitions. Additionally, he often fought from an elevated platform, ensuring that he had the advantage over his challengers. In stark contrast to his father Marcus Aurelius, who was known for his wisdom and philosophical pursuits, Commodus was fiercely proud of his physical prowess. He was, by all accounts, a specimen, a muscular man skilled with the sword and bow. The historian Herodian described him as a strikingly handsome man, and Commodus relished this perception, commissioning statues of himself dressed as the mythic hero Hercules, with his lion skin and club. He even abandoned his family name and adopted the persona of Hercules, proclaiming himself as the son of Zeus. He erected statues throughout Rome to further cement this divine image, seeking to instill both awe and fear in his subjects. Commodus' obsession with Hercules did not stop at mere statues. He sought to emulate the hero in the arena as well, fighting wild animals to prove his strength. The crowds were captivated by his daring, though his encounters with exotic beasts were far less dangerous than they appeared. For instance, Commodus would face giraffes, elephants and even hippos, but always from the safety of his elevated platform, with his bodyguards standing by to ensure his protection. He famously killed a hundred lions in a single day, but rather than engage them in hand-to-hand combat, he preferred to shoot them with a bow safe from his vantage point. In all these exhibitions, Commodus' desire for glory and recognition overshadowed his sense of responsibility as emperor. His gladiatorial exploits, far from elevating his status, instead illustrated the depths to which his reign had sunk. Commodus the emperor once expected to lead and protect the empire, became increasingly consumed by the need for personal adulation, forever associating his identity with the violent, chaotic world of the arena. Commodus was married to Brutia Crispina, a woman of noble heritage, hailing from an esteemed aristocratic family. Upon their marriage, Crispina was granted the title of Augusta, thus elevating her to the position of Empress of Rome. Described as graceful and with a tender heart, Crispina was nonetheless largely excluded from the political affairs of the empire. Despite her elevated status, she held no significant sway over her husband, whose rule was increasingly characterised by erratic decisions and personal indulgences. Despite the prestige of her title, Crispina's marriage to Commodus was not a good one. The couple remained childless, which led to a looming succession crisis within the Roman empire. After a decade of marriage, Commodus, driven by personal paranoia and possibly manipulated by the intrigues of his court, falsely accused Crispina of adultery. She was executed. Commodus, having rid himself of his wife, did not remarry, but instead took a mistress. Throughout his reign, Commodus exhibited a disturbing fascination with the physically disabled. Like many Roman elites, he kept a number of disabled slaves in his palace, often using them as part of his grotesque entertainments. In one particularly notorious episode, as recorded in the Historia Augusta, tells of Commodus ordering two hunchbacked slaves to be stripped naked and positioned on silver plates during a lavish banquet. Guests were expected to eat off their backs. Aware of the fragility of his position, Commodus understood the necessity of maintaining the favour of the populace. In an effort to ensure their loyalty, he frequently distributed large amounts of money in the heart of the city. These spectacles, designed to distract and appease the masses, were a classic example of the Roman policy of bread and circuses. At the same time, Commodus worked to secure the loyalty of the military by paying generous sums to legionaries and generals, reducing the likelihood of betrayal from his own guards, a fate that had befallen many emperors before him. The Emperor's reign also saw the rise of Cleander, a former slave who had ascended to a powerful position within the imperial court. Through his close association with Commodus, Cleander rose to command the Praetorian Guard, the elite force tasked with protecting the Emperor. However, Cleander's rapid accumulation of power and wealth led him to corrupt the very foundation of Roman governance. He sold positions of power, including senatorial seats, military command positions, governships and even consulships, turning the Roman public office into a commodity for sale to the highest bidder. This corruption sparked widespread unrest across the empire, particularly among the army, where desertions and rebellions were on the rise. In the year 190 AD, a food shortage plagued Rome, and the official responsible for grain supply blamed Cleander for the crisis. The Roman populace, already angered by the economic mismanagement, turned on the corrupt official. Riots broke out in the streets, with the mob demanding Cleander's head, seeking refuge in the imperial palace. Cleander begged for Commodus' protection. However, the fury of the people was unstoppable, and Commodus, in a bid to appease the unrest, ordered Cleander's execution, as well as the killing of his son. Despite these gestures, the Emperor's role in the chaos was undeniable. Cleander's corruption had flourished under Commodus' watch, and his incompetence as a ruler was bringing the once glorious empire to the brink of ruin. To make matters worse, Commodus' infatuation with gladiatorial combat continued to drain the imperial treasury. Every time he fought in the arena, he forced the Roman economy further into decline, as the costs of these lavish spectacles were borne by the state. His indulgence in these games, far from being a symbol of imperial strength, became a grotesque display of excess, undermining the stability of the empire he was supposed to protect. In the end, the mismanagement and corruption of Commodus' reign, coupled with his increasing detachment from the serious affairs of the state, hastened the decline of Rome's golden age. The people of Rome, particularly the senators, could no longer endure the rule of Commodus. His delusions of grandeur had spiralled to such a degree that it increasingly threatened their own power, wealth, and at times their very lives. He depicted himself as the divine Hercules, adorning statues, coins, and even his own image with the garb of the mighty hero. However, the madness wouldn't end there. He renamed the senate, the Commodian Fortunate Senate, and even had the head of the colossal statue of Nero, which stood by the Colosseum, replaced with his own, now styled as Hercules, holding a club in one hand, and a lion at his feet. In November in the year 192 AD, Commodus celebrated his self-declared greatness with the Plebeian Games, where he shot hundreds of animals in the morning and fought as a gladiator every afternoon, never losing a match. His reign, it seemed, had become little more than a grandiose spectacle. However, the delusions of Commodus reached their height when he announced a special day of games on January 1st in the year 193 AD. At first, Marcia, his mistress, implored him to cancel the games, but her pleas were met with rage as he threatened her life. As the emperor became ever more unpredictable and cruel, Marcia uncovered a list of people he intended to execute. On the list was herself and two other high-ranking officials. Realising their lives were in imminent danger, the three plotted to end Commodus' reign. Marcia would take the first step, slipping a powerful poison into the emperor's wine. Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, Commodus vomited the poisoned drink after a bath, a common occurrence for him after overindulging. Unaware of the failed attempt, the conspirators resorted to a more direct method. Narcissus, Commodus' personal wrestling partner and trainer, was sent in to finish the job. Entering the emperor's bath, Narcissus strangled him to death, with Commodus already weak from the poison. Upon his death, the senate declared Commodus as a public enemy, and the swift work of erasing his presence from history began. All monuments bearing his likeness were destroyed, and any inscriptions with his name were erased. Statues were either smashed or thrown into a river, symbolising the attempt to purge the empire of his memory. The death of Commodus unleashed a period of profound instability. The empire, once united and flourishing, was plunged into a violent civil war, with five different claimants vying for the imperial throne, an era known as the Year of the Five Emperors. Although the Roman Empire would endure for another three centuries, its subsequent history was plagued by internal strife, warfare, and a gradual cultural decline. Periods of stability were fleeting, and even when exceptional leaders emerged, the scars of Commodus' reign remained. Commodus is remembered with disdain, not only for his erratic behaviour, but for the irreparable damage his rule inflicted upon Rome. Unlike his father, Marcus Aurelius, who had ruled with wisdom and virtue, Commodus was consumed by delusions of divinity. He saw himself not as a ruler, but as a god. His reign, marked by cruelty, madness, and paranoia, did not expand the empire, nor lead it to victory in battle. Instead, it hastened its decline. The Emperor's ignorance, arrogance, and delusion ultimately led to his death, and left a legacy tarnished by tyranny. I hope you all enjoyed the video. If you did, be sure to like, subscribe, and share, and I'll see you all soon for another history profile.