They will never get Commodus right

Well Commodus wasn't particularly evil but he was a pretty mediocre Caesar compared the great Caesars that preceded him - the Five Good Emperors which included Marcus Aurelius - but it is a bit unfair to compare him with the great Aurelius who was more than a Caesar as he was also one of the greatest Stoic philosophers, if not one of the greatest philosophers in general, of his age.

"Namu-myoho-renge-kyo"

The valid criticism leveled against Commodus, both in his time and today, is that he spent more of the empire's resources on his petty vanity than on the reinforcement of his territories. While it is true that he was more muscular and perhaps more accomplished than is portrayed in the Hollywood films (Gladiator showed him as a kind of combat groupie), the cost of Gladiatorial shows, exotic hunts, and animal sacrifice was immense and would have been better spent on wheat, infrastructure, or the soldiers.

Given the Eastern provinces were in rebellion, the western provinces routinely suffering disease, and Africa relatively mismanaged (and as depicted, in FORE, the barbarian uprisings not entirely quelled in the north), the expense is impossible to justify. Why import Elephants and lions for each show so the emperor can demonstrate his prowess when most of his empire is struck with starvation? It's the act of a selfish man.

Pax Romana, the idea of Roman peace, ended with the death of Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius, the great philosopher Caesar, the great philosopher king, was the last of the good emperors. In this sense, by proximity, Commodus was a fool and a failure. While significantly more sane than, say, Caligula, Commodus nevertheless in his time executed generals, his wife, lovers, poets, Senators, gladiators, and military leaders. While the portrayals in FORE and Gladiator are created with considerable artistic license, the negative impact he wrought on his Rome is not inaccurate.

Commodus, incapable of his father's noted stoicism, was a vain and self-indulgent man. His mimicry of Hercules is not a virtue, given what it cost the empire. There was a slave named Marcus Aurelius Cleander, in order to make more time for his Gladiatorial exercises, Commodus handed over the power of government appointment to this man. Cleander proceeded to sell off offices to the highest bidder opening an era of 'virtue and appointment by auction' and corruption that set in motion the downfall of Commodus himself (it also contributed to the year of five (bad) emperors where the title of emperor itself was given to the highest bidder).

Incidentally, Commodus himself was assassinated at the encouragement of his own guards, attends, and mistress because he had become so manic in his impulses.

i agree with all of you. The historical Commodus is more complex but has been depicted in one-dimensional terms by Hollywood.

Ancient history seems to indicate that Commodus' first four years of reign were actually competent and good because he followed the advice of counselors and advisors from his father's time. After four years, Commodus' reign declines in judgement and everything else.

History books critisized Commodus' decision to abandon Marcus Aurelius' plans to create two, new provinces, Sarmatia, and Marcommania, the purpose of which was to help keep the warlike northeastern Germanic tribes at arms length. But later history books took a more realistic view. It seems obvious that he based his decision on his father's very own advisors and those of the highest ranking military officials at the time. The Roman empire was totally exhausted and drained at the end of the devastating Marcommanic Wars. Manpower and financial resources were in very short supply. Adding two new provinces would have meant creating additional legions for which manpower and monetary means did not exist. Even if Commodus did establish those two new provinces, it was doubtful that he could hold either much less defend the new territory, given the lack of manpower and a drained treasury. Still, Commodus managed to secure what was in effect an unconditional surrender from the Marcommanic tribes and their allies and secure highly favorable peace terms that kept the frontier peaceful for another fifty years. Back in Rome, Commodus could rightfully claim glory as a victorious emperor, even if his late father did all the work. Commodus kept the populace of Roman happy and content with copius entertainment and ample supply of free bread. Commodus later intrigues and persecutions of the high ranked aristocratics who were in the Senate did not affect the common people and so he remained popular with both the army and the people