On the 31st of August AD 161, Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus drew his first breath in Lanuvium, a town nestled near Rome. He was the son of Marcus Aurelius, the reigning emperor, and Faustina the Younger, who had lost her own father just months before his birth. His twin brother Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus died in 165, leaving Commodus as the sole surviving son of the imperial couple. By the 12th of October 166, he held the title of Caesar alongside his younger brother Marcus Annius Verus. That brother perished in 169 after failing to recover from an operation, making Commodus the only heir left for his father.
Galen, the renowned physician, treated Commodus for common illnesses throughout his childhood. The boy received extensive tutoring from teachers including Onesicrates, Antistius Capella, Titus Aius Sanctus, and Pitholaus. In 172, he accompanied his father to Carnuntum, headquarters during the Marcomannic Wars. On the 15th of October 172, he likely received the victory title Germanicus in front of the army. Two years later, on the 20th of January 175, he entered the College of Pontiffs, marking the start of his public career.
A rebellion by Avidius Cassius in Syria forced Commodus to assume his toga virilis on the 7th of July 175 on the Danubian front. Cassius was killed before any major campaign could begin. Commodus then traveled with his father through Eastern provinces, visiting Antioch and Athens where they were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries. They returned to Rome in autumn 176. On the 27th of November 176, Marcus Aurelius bestowed the title Imperator upon him. Modern authors often cite this date as the beginning of his reign, though exact chronology remains uncertain.
Devalued Coins And Peaceful Frontiers
Upon ascending to sole power in 180, Commodus immediately devalued Roman currency. He reduced the weight of the denarius from 96 per Roman pound to 105 per Roman pound, dropping silver purity from 79 percent to 76 percent. By 186, he further reduced purity and silver weight to 74 percent and 2.22 grams respectively. This reduction represented the largest debasement since Nero's reign. The empire faced economic strain while military conflicts decreased significantly compared to his father's continuous warfare.
Commodus negotiated a peace treaty with Danubian tribes shortly after taking full control. He returned to Rome and celebrated a triumph on the 22nd of October 180 for concluding wars that had raged under Marcus Aurelius. Unlike predecessors like Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, he showed little interest in administrative business. Throughout his reign, he left practical state management to favorites including Saoterus, Perennis, and Cleander. His rule remained comparatively peaceful militarily but was characterized by political strife and arbitrary behavior.
Despite his notoriety, evidence suggests he remained popular with the army and common people for much of his reign. Lavish shows of largesse recorded on coinage helped maintain support. Spectators enjoyed spectacular gladiatorial combats where Commodus participated personally. He killed animals by bow while standing above the arena. When fighting fellow gladiators, opponents would purposely submit. During this period Rome's economy declined as he taxed the senatorial order to fund donatives and mass entertainments.