Triumph and the parade of Commodus as the emperor of Rome and the victor of the Germania Campaign.
In the movie Gladiator, Gracchus criticized Commodus for the triumph and the victory parade of the Germania Campaign as he knew Commodus didn’t contribute to the victory of Rome.
However, in real history, Commodus despite the objections of the Roman military made an armistice and peace treaty with the Germania tribes such as the Marcromanni and the Quadi. Commodus then gave up the lands of the Danube River and retreated to the old Roman borders.
Thus, although it wasn’t a desirable result Commodus technically ended the Marccomanni Wars and the conflict with the tribes of Germania. He entered Rome with a triumph and victory parade.
Historians assess that it was inevitable for Commodus to give up the lands of Germania because Rome became severely weak while some believe Commodus just wanted to quickly return to Rome.
Relationship with the Rome emperor and the Senate
Technically the emperor of Rome was the princeps, the first-class citizen of Rome and the power of Rome was based on the support of the people of Rome.
Senator Gracchus could humiliate and mock Commodus in front of the other senators with the plague victims. Because the Senate of Rome the Senatus Romanus possessed much power to balance the power of the emperor,
The emperor didn’t have absolute power so the emperor always had to prove himself worthy to the people of Rome.
Commodus hosted consecutive gladiator tournaments to win the popularity of the public as part of his effort to please the public and receive support of the people of Rome.
Commodus’s reign as the Roman Emperor in real history
In real history Commodus was one of the tyrants of Rome. The early years of Commodus as the emperor of Rome were decent, however Commodus’s sister Lucilla(unlike the movie) sought to gain power and attempted to assassinate Commodus at the Colosseum.
Lucilla failed; however, Commodus’s own sister Lucilla’s assassination attempt drove Commodus crazy and he became paranoid.
After Lucilla’s assassination attempt, Commodus simply gave up on all political and administrative activities as the emperor of Rome.
Commodus’s paranoia and fear led to his distrust of the senate and Commodus became a tyrant. As Commodus became ignorant of the rulership of Rome, the Praetorian Guard prefect Perennis instead wielded power and plotted treason.
Perennis was executed and Cleander, another Praetorian Guard prefect wielded power and ruined the Roman empire.
Commodus eventually executed Cleander as well as Commodus feared the riots of the public. Commodus eventually was murdered by his wrestling instructor. Since Commodus’s death Roman Empire was in chaos until the emperor Septimus Severus restabilized the Roman Empire.
Why did the Rome Senate sit back from the tyranny of Commodus
Luckily, unlike the era of Marcus Aurelius, foreign invasions and natural disasters didn’t trouble the Roman Empire much during Commodus’s reign. The senate of Rome didn’t take much action on Commodus as his first two years were decent.
The senate of Rome hoped for Commodus’s recovery and govern the Roman Empire. However, Commodus never redeemed himself and the Roman Empire faced the Year of the Five Emperors that was full of fierce civil war after Commodus’s death.
Why did Commodus open so many gladiator tournaments at the Colosseum
In the movie, Commodus hosted the gladiator tournaments to honor his father, Marcus Aurelius. The senators did however think it was clever of him as Commodus had no accomplishments but utilized the gladiator tournaments to win the hearts of the Roman public and mobs.
However in real history, Commodus simply loved gladiator tournaments where he would enjoy participating them himself.
Commodus was passive and somewhat timid in other matters while gladiator tournaments were supposedly to only method that Commodus could show off himself and receive applause and affection from the crowd.
Commodus would participate in hundreds of gladiator tournaments himself while he sat back from governing the Roman Empire.
Commodus’s real skills as a gladiator – Did Rome emperors become gladiators at the Colosseum?
Roman Emperors did sometimes participate in the gladiator tournaments and Commodus in real history did enjoy becoming a gladiator in his days.
Unlike the movie where Commodus would train and fake his skills as a gladiator, Commodus in real life was a great gladiator that possessed immense strength.
Although Commodus did have actors that restricted them from threatening him, Commodus was a surprisingly strong and skilled gladiator in real history.
Commodus was known for slaughtering numerous beasts and animals. He hunted elephants, tigers and hippopotamuses and even slayed 100 bears in a single day in history.
Commodus was recorded as a great bestiari that were gladiators that specialized in battling beasts and animals. To assassinate Commodus, his wrestling instructor had to poison him ahead to weaken him first because the wrestling instructor feared that Commodus would strike back.
Was Commodus mentally instable?
Commodus did long for glory even in real history and he did crave attention as he really did become a gladiator in the Colosseum for the applause of the crowd. There isn’t evidence of Commodus having a desire for his sister Lucilla.
However, Commodus grew extremely mentally instable and full of anxious after his sister Lucilla attempted an assassination and coup de tat in real history. Commodus was already passive as he wouldn’t actively engage with matters
However, he still desired recognition and attention that is proven by his focus on receiving spotlight at the Colosseum where he would participate in tournaments himself.
However, his anxiety, defeatism, fear and paranoia after Lucilla’s assassination attempt led to the downfall of the Roman Empire and his death.
Commodus and Lucilla’s relationship – Did Commodus have inappropriate desires on his sister?
There aren’t records of Commodus longing for his sister for a pure bloodline nor did he have inappropriate love for his sister.
In real history, Lucilla wasn’t threatened by Commodus’s twisted love but Lucilla rather had her own desire over the powers of Rome and plotted a coup de tat and tried to assassinate Commodus.
Commodus after surviving Lucilla’s assassination attempt would execute Lucilla and Lucilla died at an age of 33.
Year of the Five Emperors & Civil Wars of the Roman Empire after Commodus’s death
After Commodus was assassinated by his wrestling instructor on 192, the Roman Empire suffered civil war for the next 18 years.
This was the Year of the Five Emperors.At the year 192, the Roman emperor was taken and overthrown by the five emperors Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus and Septimus Severus.
Septimus Severus and Clodius Albinus was victorious and co-governed since 193, but Severus Septimus fought Albinus and started the Severan dynasty.
