The reign of Commodus, from 177 to 192 AD is often cited as the finale to the Golden Age of Rome. Unlike his father, Marcus Aurelius, who was renowned for his philosophical wisdom and military prowess, Commodus chose a path of indulgence, leaving the rigors of frontier warfare to his generals while he reveled in the luxuries of palace life.
His reign culminated in a dramatic fashion on New Year’s Eve, 192, when Commodus was murdered in a palace coup, an event that precipitated a civil war lasting over four years. This tumultuous period eventually led to the rise of the Severan dynasty, further signaling a departure from the principles that had defined the Pax Romana.
Commodus’s Early Life
Commodus, born on August 31, 161 AD, was the son of the esteemed Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his wife, Faustina the Younger. From an early age, Commodus was groomed for leadership, receiving education from some of the most distinguished tutors in Rome. His early life was a blend of rigorous training in warfare, philosophy, and governance, designed to prepare him for the eventual role he would play as co-emperor, starting in 177 AD, alongside his father.
This period of co-rule before Marcus Aurelius’s death in 180 AD offered Commodus a unique opportunity to learn statecraft directly under the tutelage of one of Rome’s most revered leaders. However, despite such unparalleled preparation, the transition from Marcus Aurelius’s philosophical and dutiful reign to Commodus’s rule marked a stark contrast in leadership styles.
While his early life was shaped by Stoicism’s disciplines and the military campaigns on the Danubian frontier, Commodus’s inclination towards the extravagant and the spectacle became more pronounced as he assumed full control of the empire.
Despite the initial hopes pinned on his co-rule with Marcus Aurelius, Commodus’s subsequent actions as sole emperor would dramatically alter the course of the Roman Empire, transitioning from the golden age of prosperity and stability to a period marked by turmoil and decline.
Wars In Germany, Dacia, Britain
In Germany, Dacia, and Britain, Rome’s frontiers were challenged, reflecting the broader impacts of Commodus’s neglect of the empire’s military needs and frontier defenses.
In Germany, the situation grew increasingly volatile. Barbarian tribes, seizing upon the perceived weakness of Rome under Commodus, launched numerous raids across the Rhine frontier. The military, lacking the robust leadership and investment it once benefitted from under Marcus Aurelius, struggled to repel these incursions. This period saw a notable increase in the frequency and intensity of Germanic assaults, stretching the Roman legions thinly and exacerbating the empire’s vulnerabilities.
Dacia, a territory that had been annexed under Trajan, also faced its share of difficulties. The lack of strategic foresight and military reinforcement in this region invited pressure from neighboring tribes. The Dacian legions, once celebrated for their discipline and effectiveness, found themselves under-equipped and demoralized, significantly hampering their ability to secure the province.
Britain, on the far western frontier of the empire, did not escape unscathed. Here, the Roman presence was challenged by native tribes and the deteriorating conditions of military fortifications. Reports of revolts and incursions became more commonplace, signaling a decline in Roman control and influence.
These conflicts across Germany, Dacia, and Britain collectively illustrate the external manifestations of Commodus’s misrule. The empire’s lack of attention to military leadership and preparedness, combined with overconfidence in Rome’s unassailable status, left it exposed to threats, both internal and external.
The Conspiracies
Internal strife and conspiracies flourished under Commodus’s reign, further destabilizing the Roman Empire. The emperor’s dictatorial leadership style and obsession with his deific personality cult incited discontent among the Roman elite. Commodus’s performances as a gladiator in the Colosseum, though intended to solidify his divine status among the masses, ironically weakened his respect among the nobility and Senate. This disregard for traditional Roman values and the emperor’s excessive indulgence in personal glorification led to several plots against his life.
Key figures in these conspiracies included members of Commodus’s inner circle, such as his palace chamberlain, Saoterus, and two of his praetorian prefects, Tigidius Perennis and Marcus Aurelius Cleander. Each played significant roles in managing the empire’s affairs but also found themselves embroiled in the power struggles and intrigues that characterized the emperor’s court. Despite their positions of power, these individuals could not escape the suspicions and wrath of Commodus, who dealt with perceived threats to his reign with ruthless efficiency.
The prevalence of these plots and Commodus’s eventual assassination in 192 AD underscore the extent of the emperor’s alienation from his subjects and advisers. His failure to address the empire’s pressing military and administrative needs, combined with his erratic behavior, created a vacuum of effective leadership.
This period of internal disarray significantly contributed to the erosion of the relative peace and stability once enjoyed under Marcus Aurelius, hinting at the beginning of the decline of the Roman Golden Age. Through his actions and the ensuing chaos of his reign, Commodus inadvertently set the stage for Rome’s eventual fall.
Emperor, God, And Gladiator
Unlike many of his predecessors who sought to embody the virtues of leadership and stoic philosophy, Commodus adopted a persona that was part divine, part ruling authority, and part public entertainer.
As an emperor, Commodus’s initial acts appeared to follow in the footsteps of his father, Marcus Aurelius, striving to lead Rome with wisdom and diligence. However, he swiftly deviated, focusing more on personal glory and the promotion of his image as a living god. He claimed divine lineage, often likened himself to Hercules, and went to great lengths to ensure his depiction in art and sculpture captured this god-like essence, reinforcing his self-deification.
In the arena, his role as a gladiator was no less controversial. Commodus participated in staged fights, a spectacle that Roman emperors would traditionally observe from a distance. His opponents always submitted as surviving a battle against the emperor was seen as an honorable affliction.
His actions in the arena, paired with his self-depiction as a god emperor, created a complex legacy that continued to influence the empire long after his dramatic death.
Imperial Assassination
Discontent with his rule had reached a peak by late 192 AD, culminating in a conspiracy that drew participants from his inner circle. Among the plotters were members of the Praetorian Guard, the emperor’s chamberlain, and several of his mistresses.
The final plot unfolded on the last day of 192 AD, when Commodus was poisoned by his concubine. However, when the poison acted too slowly, Narcissus, a wrestling partner of Commodus, strangled him in his bath, marking a dramatic end to his reign. The assassination of Commodus did not just signify the fall of a controversial ruler; it symbolized the abrupt end of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty, under which Rome had witnessed a period of remarkable stability and prosperity.
Following Commodus’s death, Rome was thrust into the Year of the Five Emperors, a tumultuous period that exposed the empire’s vulnerabilities and set the stage for subsequent decades of instability. The Senate declared Commodus a public enemy posthumously, and his acts and decrees were officially nullified.
This act of damnatio memoriae sought to erase the memory of Commodus’s rule, reflecting the Senate’s attempt to distance the empire from the chaos that had engulfed it under his leadership.
Legacy Of Emperor Commodus
Emperor Commodus’s legacy is a study in contrast, especially when positioned against his father, Marcus Aurelius, and the preceding era known as the Golden Age of Rome. His predilection for self-aggrandizement and the deification of his persona led to significant alterations in the traditional expectations from the Roman emperorship.
Commodus’s involvement in gladiatorial combats and the spectacle that his reign became is among the most vivid images left to history. These actions, seen as beneath the dignity of an emperor, contributed to the erosion of the solemn image of the emperor as a stoic ruler, a perception heavily cultivated by his predecessors. This erosion can be seen as initiating a shift in the societal norms and values of the Roman elite and the masses alike.
Moreover, the tumultuous nature of Commodus’s rule, marked by assassination attempts and the eventual success of his conspirators, laid the groundwork for the Year of the Five Emperors. This period of instability significantly undermined the structures of power and governance that had sustained the empire through its Golden Age. The rapid succession of emperors in the fallout of Commodus’s assassination underscored the fragility of imperial succession and the resultant political instability.
The Senate’s attempt to erase Commodus’s memory posthumously, a practice known as damnatio memoriae, reflects the depths of infamy his reign had reached in the eyes of Rome’s ruling class. Despite these efforts, the legacy of Commodus persists, offering a cautionary tale on the perils of absolute power and the importance of governance in alignment with the state’s and its people’s broader interests. Commodus’s reign serves as a pivot point in Roman history, signaling a shift from the height of empire to the challenges that would, in time, contribute to its decline.