That’s why Commodus’ murder of his father hits harder than any sword fight. And now, years later, with Gladiator 2 just aired, it’s the perfect time to revisit this brutal classic.

Commodus’ reign got off to a disastrous start when he made a huge rookie mistake. The problem wasn’t that he killed his own father, Marcus Aurelius. He had to.

In ancient Rome, after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, loyal general Maximus is betrayed and sentenced to death by the new emperor, Commodus. Escaping execution, Maximus is enslaved and ...

Three zodiacal signs-the Bull, the Capricorn and the Scorpion-are carved on the globe at the base of the Conservatori portrait of Commodus in which the Emperor is represented in the guise of Hercules.