According to
the movie's screenplay, the character of Commodus is based on historical facts, while not exact,
but intended to mirror the personality traits of Emperor Galus Germanicus, who has become
infamously remembered in history as "little boots", or Caligula.
Similar to Caligula, Commodus seems to have pervasive mental illnesses that render them
psychologically limited, creating episodes of histrionic personality,narcissism, megalomania and
psychopathy. These traits are often historically conceded as genetic complications due to
possible inbreeding among generations.
However, in a dramatic difference
from Caligula, Commodus was not the beloved son of his father, nor was he expected one day to
succeed his father's great feats and become Emperor as well. His asinine ways led his father to
bypass the bloodline and make Maximus, a soldier, as Emperor. What this did was exacerbate
Commodus trouble mind, and make him literally more insane.
Since Commodus
does not have any needs, his life is devoted to sick wants. As a result, Commodus usurped the
throne and engaged in terrible practices that fed these wants over and over.
In the screenplay, Commodus is supposed to have entered his new life as an emperor
after having nearly destroyed Maximus's life. His first want was lust and that is how he began
to reign.
the emperor Commodus spent the early years of
his reign "in a seraglio of three hundred beautiful women and as many boys, of every rank
and of every province."
The second deadly sin of
Commudus, which became the main ambition of his life, was blood- he set out to conduct wild
games in the Colosseum, and to add murder as one of his hobbies.
Later, adding bloodshed to his round of pleasures, he launched a career in murder,
beginning with the dispatch of the usual senators, ministers and family members and continuing
with the slaughter of beasts.
Finally, since his
megalomania knew no limits, Commodus based his ambition of mere gluttony for power, for he
needed no more than what he already had.
Styling himself
the Roman Hercules, he went as a performer into the amphitheater, where he cut down before the
public a number of ostriches, a panther, a hundred lions, an elephant, a rhinoceros and a
giraffe. He then entered the lists as a gladiator.
As a
gladiator, Commodus paid himself enormous fees that he also did not need. In all, Commodus is
merely a sick, spoiled man with too much power and no more ambition than to proof himself worthy
of something great. Unfortunately that great deed is to outdo his own mischief and make himself
stand out by pushing down who is the true pride and joy of Commodus's father, the usurped
emperor Maximus.
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