Better than Caligula: the shocking entertainment of the Roman emperor Lucius Commodus

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The name Caligula became synonymous with the debauchery and violence that reigned at the court of the emperor. However, in Roman Empire there were other, no less merciless, cruel and vicious rulers who, in terms of the number of their "exploits", could compete with Caligula. One of them was Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, famous for debauchery, embezzlement from the state treasury and love of entertainment. He was born on the same day with Caligula, August 31, but only a century and a half later.

On August 31, 161, a son was born to the Roman emperor-philosopher Marcus Aurelius, whom they decided to name in honor of his father's co-ruler, Lucius Vera. Lucius Commodus had every chance to continue the dynasty of "five good emperors" who ruled before him: the best teachers taught the boy philosophy, literature, rhetoric, but he showed little interest in these sciences. He was much more interested in gladiator fights, singing and dancing. Already from his youth, the bad inclinations of the character of Commodus were manifested: he was dishonest, depraved and cruel. At the age of 12, he demanded that the bath attendant be burned in the oven, who, by negligence, overheated his water for washing.

Until the death of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus was his co-ruler, and then all power passed to him. Having ascended the throne, he abandoned the seizure of new territories begun by his father, made peace with the Dacians and Sarmatians, and lost the lands beyond the Danube that Marcus Aurelius had conquered. At first, his policy aroused popular approval, as he used populist methods and often organized large-scale holidays. However, it soon became too noticeable that the new emperor was not involved in state affairs at all, devoting all his time to entertainment. The treasury quickly became scarce, and his favorites were engaged in the affairs of the empire.

Commodus was having fun on an imperial scale: in his harem there were about three hundred women and the same number of men. He loved, dressed as a charioteer, driving chariots and feasting with gladiators. Commodus himself repeatedly took part in gladiatorial battles, although the performance of free citizens in the gladiatorial arena was considered dishonorable. The emperor fought 735 battles, of which he always emerged victorious - firstly, because he himself had a great command of the sword, and secondly, other gladiators did not dare to resist the emperor. When Commodus on stage defeated another opponent or killed animals, the senators had to shout: “You are God, you are the first, you are the most successful of people! You are a winner and you will always be a winner!"

Commodus had a peculiar sense of humor: he liked to serve feces to guests in exquisite dishes, play the doctor, dissecting living people, and wearing women's clothing. Once he made the prefect of the praetorium Julian dance naked with a smeared face in front of his concubines and beat the cymbals.

While the emperor indulged in debauchery and participated in gladiatorial battles, Rome was ruled by the praetorian prefect Tigidius Perennes. He in every possible way encouraged the debauchery of Commodus, meanwhile strengthening his power. Perennus slandered the emperor's associates, and he executed all conspiracy suspects. But soon Perenne himself was accused of preparing an attempt on the life of Commodus and executed along with his son.

Imperial power soon proved insufficient for Commodus, and he demanded his deification. He was a fan of oriental cults - he wore an image of the god Anubis on his head, appeared in the attire of the priest of Isis. In recent years, he identified himself with Hercules, the son of Jupiter, and ordered to call himself that. In 190 he declared Rome his personal colony and renamed it Commodiana, or City of Commodus.

In 193 a new conspiracy matured against Commodus, and this time it was effective. The mistress of the emperor Marcia tried to poison him, but the poison did not give the expected effect, and Commodus strangled the athlete Narcissus, a slave with whom he was fighting. The Senate immediately declared Commodus "the enemy of the fatherland", later Septimius Sever came to power, who ranked his predecessor among the gods - in order to enlist the support of his powerful family.

Another ruler was famous for no less cruelty, whose name was overgrown with a large number of legends. Truth and fiction about Emperor Caligula: a slandered madman or a sadistic murderer?