Commodus Character Analysis in The Prince

The son and heir of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus ruled Rome from 180 to 193 A.D. The opposite of his father, Commodus "was of a cruel, bestial disposition" and was despised by the people, which caused him to lose his position despite his hereditary right to the throne. Commodus was assassinated in 193 A.D.

Commodus Character Timeline in The Prince

The timeline below shows where the character Commodus appears in The Prince. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

In contrast, Commodus, Severus, Antoninus Caracalla, and Maximinus, who were all "extremely cruel" and greedy rulers, met "unhappy... (full context)

Turning to Commodus, Machiavelli explains that, as the son of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus succeeded to the throne by... (full context)