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'', wife of Commodus. Daughter of a consul under Antoninus Pius, Crispina married Commodus in 177, by will of Marcus Aurelius. Few years later (182 according to Cassius Dio, possibly 187), Crispina was accused of adultery (or treachery), exiled in Capri and later murdered (183 or 192).]] Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (originally '''Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus''') ( August 31 , 161 - December 31 , 192 ) was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 180 to 192 . He is often considered to have been one of the worst Roman Emperors, in the mold of Nero and Caligula , and his reign brought to a close the era of the " Five Good Emperors ". LIFE Commodus was the son of the popular and successful Marcus Aurelius . He had a twin brother, Antoninus, who died when he was about four years old, and a sister, Lucilla , who was implicated in plots to overthrow him. He was made co-emperor in 177 , during his father's lifetime; when he became sole emperor upon the death of his father in 180 , it was at first seen as a hopeful sign by the people of the Roman Empire . Nevertheless, as generous and magnanimous as his father was, Commodus turned out to be just the opposite, with the sole exception being that he stopped the persecution of Christians started by his father. Commodus, being the son of Marcus Aurelius was one of the best prepared Roman emperors in history. Unfortunately his intent was not to rule, but to bask in a life of wealth and luxury. Commodus is often thought to have been insane, and he was certainly given to excess. He began his reign by making an unfavourable peace treaty with the Germanic tribe of the Marcomanni , who had been at war with Marcus Aurelius. Later, Commodus would wage wars of his own against the Germans, often winning partial victories yet claiming the honours for a full victory in the Roman Senate . Commodus was extremely proud of his physical prowess, disdaining the more philosophic inclinations of his father. He ordered many statues to be made showing him dressed as Hercules with a lion's hide and a club. He thought of himself as the reincarnation of Hercules, frequently emulating the legendary hero's feats by appearing in the arena to fight a variety of wild animals. Dion Cassius and the writers of the Augustan History say that Commodus was a skilled archer, who could shoot the heads off Ostriches in full gallop, and kill a Panther as it attacked a victim in the arena. The emperor also had a passion for Gladiatorial combat, which he took so far as to take to the Arena himself, dressed as a gladiator. This was considered scandalous by the people of Rome, who regarded gladiators as occupying the lowest rungs of society. Commodus naturally always won, although, since his opponents always submitted to the emperor, these public fights would not end in a death. For each appearance in the arena, he charged the city of Rome a million Sesterces , straining the Roman economy. Commodus demanded to be worshipped as a God . Commodus was most extensively prepared for succession as emperor. However, being born in luxury, work was foreign to him, and subsequently neglected matters of state while dallying with a Harem of some 300 men and women. He appointed his underlings to administer the Empire, and shared in the money these men stole. Numerous ancient authorities also record rumours of an incestuous relationship with his sister. Commodus sold his duties as emperor to an advisor named Cleander, which led to widespread corruption at the highest levels and drained the Roman treasury. In 190 , part of the city of Rome burned, and Commodus took the opportunity to "re-found" the city of Rome in his own honour, as ''Colonia Commodiana''. The months of the calendar were all renamed in his honour (Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Herculeus, Romanus, Exsuperatorius, Amazonius, Invictus, Felix, Pius {Link without Title} ), and the Senate was renamed as the ''Commodian Fortunate Senate''. The army became known as the ''Commodian Army''. A year later, Commodus was strangled in his bath by the wrestler Narcissus , ordered by Commodus' mistress/cousin Marcia , a day before he planned to march into the Senate dressed as a gladiator to take office as Consul . Upon his death the Senate passed a '' Damnatio Memoriae '' on him and restored the proper name to the city of Rome and its institutions. However, in 195 , the emperor Septimius Severus , trying to gain favor with the family of Marcus Aurelius, rehabilitated the memory of Commodus and had the Senate deify him. LEGACY Commodus' rule is considered the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire. Commodus' selling of high offices to incompetent people, leading to massive corruption and his paid exploits in the gladiatorial arena, which amounted to for one million sesterces paid by the city of Rome for every appearance severely ruined the Roman economy. The Roman economy never recovered from the rule of Commodus and may have eventually contributed to its collapse. COMMODUS IN POPULAR CULTURE as Commodus in ''Gladiator''.]] Film
Both these films were loosely based on the career of the emperor Commodus, although they should not be taken as accurate historical depictions of his life. Other
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