Commodus Report

From ThePlaz.com

Revision as of 14:13, 22 April 2007 by ThePlaz (Talk | contribs)

(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search

Latin 3 Report on Commodus. Make a handout with important facts; map, poster, or PowerPoint as a visual aid; 2-5 minute presentation; have 3 sources; 3 discussion questions; activity is extra credit (I didn't do an activity)

Contents

Worksheet

Word.PNGA Microsoft Word version of this work is available here: Image:Commodus Handout.doc

Pdf.jpgA PDF version of this work is available here: Image:Commodus Handout.pdf


Powerpoint

PowerPnt 2003.pngA PowerPoint slideshow of this work is available here: Image:Commodus.ppt

Pdf.jpgA PDF version of this work is available here: Image:Commodus Powerpoint.pdf


Basics

  • Son Marcus Aurelis and Faustina
  • Born in Lanuvium 161 CE
  • Spent teen years on the frontlines with his father
  • Educated intellectually, not militarily
  • After father’s death, surrendered to tribes, people had high hopes, thought he would rule like his father

Ruler

  • Coins showed him as warrior
  • Popular for most of his rule
  • Generous
  • Taxed the Senatorial class
  • Made him popular with the people
  • But disliked in the Senate

Megalomaniac

  • Obsessed with Hercules
  • Carried lion skin and club
  • Fought in the Coliseum (always won)
    • Considered scandalous
    • Charged 1 million sesterces/fight (lots of $$)
  • Great archer
  • Refounded Rome (so he could claim himself as the founder)
  • Renamed the months to correspond with his titles
  • Renamed the population Commodianus
  • Made the years correspond to his age

Titles

  • Caesar age 5
  • Germanicus age 11
  • Imperator age 16
  • Co-Augusts age 17
  • Emperor age 19
  • God age 29
  • Dead age 31

Death

  • Several attempts made on his life
  • On 31 December 192, an athlete Narcissus strangled him in the baths
  • Senate rolled back most of his changes
  • After him the year of the five emperors

Questions

  1. Why was Commodus murdered?
  2. Why do you think he was crazy?
  3. Did his intellectual education cause him to rebel?

Sources

  1. “Commodus” Wikipedia
  2. “Commodus” Encarta (pay edition)
  3. http://www.roman-emperors.org/commod.htm