¶ … Roman history like Augustus, Charlemagne, and Pericles have soared into Western historical tradition while others like Commodus have received a far less respected legacy, being banished and disgraced with stories of megalomania and decadence. Of the character portrayals of Commodus both in film and literature, only two primary literary sources of Commodus exist. They are from Herodian and Cassius Dio. With such little information available of how Commodus truly was, much was left to the imagination. What could have been a great Roman emperor is now a hedonistic caricature depicted by films like Gladiator and writers like Dio. But why was Commodus depicted in that way? Was he truly a megalomaniac or a man wishing to gain true power?
Of the primary sources available, the information provided from these sources can lead someone to assume partial inaccuracy. Cassisus Dio for example, worked under Commodus as a senator. He wrote an 8-volume Roman history with a fairly biased perspective. This is because of Commodus' metaphysical war against the senate. Herodian, who was a minor Roman civil servant, wrote in a way meant to entertain people rather than provide historical accuracy. Meaning, these two and only two primary sources of Commodus could be fairly skewed and inaccurate due to desire to entertain readers or a disdain for the subject.
Another source talking about Commodus, the controversial Historia Augusta can also be taken lightly when identifying what kind of person Commodus was because this source served as a National Enquirer of Roman society. So while Commodus was depicted as a hedonistic man who was killed by a wrestler and had hundreds of concubines in films, in actuality, no one really knows how he was and what information is left can only provide a snippet of his personality and what he did as emperor. This essay is meant to provide a brief analysis of the information available of Commodus from secondary sources and the infamous only two primary sources available.
Lucius Aurelius Commodus was born to Faustina the Younger, maternal cousin and wide of Marcus Aurelius. In October of 166, Commodus was given the name of Caesar during a Roman victory celebration in regards to a 5-year long war against the Parthians[footnoteRef:1]. Three years later, both Marcus Annius and Lucius Verus died, leaving the sole emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius. Commodus then became the sole heir. Aside from these tragedies, the dozen-year struggle or the Marcomannic Wars and the Antonine Plague occurred, wreaking havoc on the empire. [1: Olivier Hekster, Commodus (Amsterdam: J.C. Gieben, 2002).]
Commodus witnessed all this and in his youth, was looked after by Galen, a philosopher and physician. In 172, Commodus gained the title of Germanicus when he traveled with his father to Carnuntum, the headquarters of the emperor. He received another title while traveling to the East, Sarmaticus. After he received the title, he was initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries and then came back to Rome.
In November of 176, Commodus, then only 15, received the title of Imperator and celebrated a well-earned victory with his father late December of that year for defeating the Sarmatae and the Germani. January 1st, 177, Commodus received another honor, becoming the youngest consul during that time and making history yet again by holding the consulship a record seven times. Receiving a title of Augustus 178 and marrying Brutta Crispina, he traveled back along the Danube to resume the wars alongside his father.
His father died when he was 18 on March 17th, 180. That same year peace came with the Germanic tribes as he celebrated another victory in October. After that, Commodus remained in or near Rome for the remainder of his adult life having enjoyed popularity with both the army and the common people[footnoteRef:2]. During his sole reign, many wars were fought, specifically in Britain. However, that did not keep the empire from enjoying relative peace for the better part of a generation. What does this say so far of Emperor Commodus? [2: James H. Oliver, "Three Attic Inscriptions Concerning the Emperor Commodus," The American Journal of Philology 71, no. 2 (1950): 170.]
Compared to his depiction in the film, the secondary sources reveal a responsible, pragmatic and overachieving man who did what he had to for his family and people. He married a woman via an arranged marriage. Stayed by his father's side. Gained many titles early on in his youth. Held onto a kingdom with a reign of peace for several decades. So why is it that film versions of Commodus portray him in such a harsh and negative light?
Hercules: Disney vs. Classical Literature The myth of Hercules has been represented in media such as film and television, allowing the general public to be introduced to Greek and Roman mythological characters through entertainment. The 1997 Disney animated movie Hercules is a loosely based adaptation of the Herculean myth. The Herculean myth in the Disney movie Hercules relies heavily on identifying characters with their Greek and Roman counterparts instead of identifying
Hercules' life illustrate noble vulgar aspects humanity. How does Hercules' life illustrate both the noble and vulgar aspects of humanity. How does Hercules' life illustrate both the noble and vulgar aspects of humanity. Looking at ways in which the life of the well-known mythological figure of Hercules (Heracles, in Greek ) illustrates both the noble and the vulgar sides of humanity, this essay will begin by providing the dictionary definitions of the
men and women depicted in two of the texts? What do some of the explicit and implicit treatments say about the culture's view on men and women? How do the authors use the relationship between the main character and another person or groups of people to highlight characteristics of the main character and his or her development? How conscious and articulate are the male and female characters about their
Supernatural Tales Epic of Gilgamesh and Hercules The Epic of Gilgamesh, similar to several provocative stories, may possibly be looked at through whichever figure of interpretive lenses. The current research reflects on Gilgamesh through the lens of contemporary spirituality, attempting to generate insights about both the epic and human spiritual state of affairs. The conception of spirituality is, on the other hand, significantly challenged as well as confused. There are about three
Polyclitus The statue of Hercules can be studied at two different levels. Working backwards we must consider that which antiquity has left us to study. In this case, it is the statue of Hercules as it is preserved for us. It is the work of an unknown roman sculptor carved in marble. The balance and harmony in the piece is quite remarkable and is a great tribute to the artisanship of
So she makes the product of that union, Hercules, go mad, so he kills his wife and child. Once again, the sense of someone exceeding the bounds placed by the gods of humanity (in this case, being the child of Zeus) is punished, although Hercules is able to use his divine attributes to overcome Hera's wrath and endure his punishment. But of course perhaps the most notable example in Greek
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now