EMPEROR OF THE DAY Commodus Reign 177 192

EMPEROR OF THE DAY: Commodus Reign: 177 - 192 AD “Achievements”: - modelled himself on Hercules - came after “Five Good Emperors” - destroyed his predecessors’ good works

THE BUST OF COMMODUS

Certain months were renamed in his honour by his flatterers; for August they substituted Commodus, for He was called also the Roman September Hercules, for October Hercules, on the ground that he Invictus, for November had killed wild beasts in the Exsuperatorius, and for December amphitheatre the Lanuvium; and, He had been called Amazonius, He had, besides, an insane desire Amazonius, after his own surname. indeed, it was his custom to kill wild moreover, because of his passion for that the city of Rome should be He struck with his club, while clad beasts on his own estate. his concubine Marcia, whom he loved renamed Colonia in a woman's garment or a lion's to have portrayed as an Amazon, and Commodiana… And in truth, on the skin, not lions only, but many men for whose sake he even wished to occasion when he laid before the as well. Certain men who were enter the arena of Rome dressed as senate his proposal to call Rome lame in their feet and others who an Amazon. Commodiana, not only did the could not walk, he dressed up as senate gleefully pass this giants, encasing their legs from the resolution, but also took the name knee down in wrappings and "Commodian" to itself, at the same bandages to make them look like time giving Commodus the name serpents, and then despatched Hercules, and calling him a god. them with his arrows. http: //penelope. uchicago. edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Commodus*. html

Date: 190 AD Height: 1. 18 m Material: Marble Style: Antonine Baroque What influenced this style? Greek portraiture showing ideal/perfect form. Historical Background: • Son of Marcus Aurelius • Reign 177 -192 AD • Rule marked by vicious brutality • Destroyed achievements of 5 Good Emperors – civil war followed.

Commodus imitates the demi-god Hercules Why? • Wanted to be seen as a strong leader with the same qualities (eg strength, courage, fighting skill, immortality) • Appealed to his vanity

Symbolism Hercule’s lion skin Hercule’s club Apples of Hesperides

Symbolism Shield with gorgon’s head Cornucopeia (horns of plenty) Amazon Globe

Style – Antonine Baroque

Is this some kind of a joke? “The smooth and effeminate Emperor, with his weak arms, his flaccid feeble face and over barbered hair. . . the lion-scalp and club … in that tenuous manicured hand, is a delicate but brutally expressive charade” - M. Wheeler

IDEALISM AND VERISM