Commodus
LUCIUS AELIUS AURELIUS, a Roman Emperor; born in A. D. 161; the son of Marcus Aurelius.
He was most carefully educated, and accompanied his father on several military expeditions. He succeeded him in 180, and, after a short period of orderly government, he dismissed his wisest counsellors, and gave himself up to the lowest society. He went so far in defiance of decency as to fight in the circus like a gladiator, and then gave himself out to be a god, and would be worshipped as Hercules. He was at last poisoned by Marcia, and then strangled by an athlete. The vices and misgovernment of Commodus hastened the fall of the empire. He died Dec. 31, 192.