Commodus%20As%20Hercules

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Commodus As Hercules
General Information
Date Carved AD 192 Style Antonine
Baroque Carved From Marble Dimensions 1.18m high
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Who Was Commodus?

• Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus.
• Born in AD161 to Marcus Aurelius and Faustina the
  Younger.
• Named Caesar at 5 years old.
• Spent early years accompanying his father on
  campaigns against invading Germanic tribes along
  the Danubian frontier and training to be the next
  Emperor.
• Named Co-Augustus with his father in AD177.
• After his fathers death on 17 March 180 he
  quickly came to terms with the Germans and
  returned to Rome.
• Sole Emperor from AD180 onward.
• Changed his name to Marcus Aurelius Commodus
  Antoninus Augustus
• His reign was marked by vicious brutality and
  decadent self-indulgence.
• He was strangled to death on 31 December AD192
  and his memory was cursed, Bringing an end to the
  Antonine Dynasty.
• He was later deified as Hercules Romanus by
  Septimus Severus (he falsely declared himself to
  be the adopted son of Marcus Aurelius and
  proclaimed his brother, Commodus a god.

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Who Was Commodus?

• He was a Megalomaniac and clearly insane.
• He publicly identified himself with Hercules,
  adopting his dress and weaponry and saw himself
  as an incarnation of the demi-god. According to
  Heroditus, the obsession went so far as to his
  issuing orders that he be called not Commodus,
  the son of Marcus, but Hercules the son of
  Jupiter.
• He had declared a brand new day in Rome, founding
  it anew in 190, declaring himself the new
  Romulus. Rome was now to be called Colonia Lucia
  Annia Commodiana.
• During his final years he declared that his age
  should be called the "Golden Age."

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STYLE Antonine Baroque

• This Style became popular in the Emperor
  Hadrian's reign (117-138) and continued until
  Septimus Severus rule (193-211).
• Imperial Sculpture of this style/period usually
  featured
• Intense contrast of light and shade between the
  porcelain-like areas of the flesh and abundantly
  shaded locks of hair and beard.
• This produced an impression of nervous
  restlessness that contrasts with the still satin
  smoothness of the facial surfaces.
• Deep-drilled irises and pupils, sometimes in
  crescent shaped depressions.

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Style - Continued

• Facial Features.
• Hercules lion skin serves as a frame for
  Commodus white, polished features.
• He has the same elaborately curled hair and heavy
  eyelids that are characteristic of sculptures of
  his father.
• The deeply drilled hair and beard creates a play
  of light and shadow which contrasts with the
  smoothly polished cheeks and forehead .
• His head is turned toward his right shoulder. The
  pupils of the eyes have been incised into the
  iris and glance to one side, following the line
  of his head.
• The polished marble gives him a youthful
  appearance.

• Torso and upper body.
• Hairy paws of the lion skin tied in a perfect
  knot are contrasted with the glistening white
  skin of the Emperors chest.

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The Feats of Hercules.

• There are 12 Legendary Feats by which Hercules
  gained Immortality. However only three of these
  are relevant to the Bust.
• The slaying of the Nemean lion, whose skin he
  thereafter wore.
• This is relevant because this lion skin is
  supposedly the same as the one Commodus is
  wearing in this bust.
• The taking of the girdle of Hippolyte, Queen of
  the Amazons.
• This is relevant because the heavy use of
  Amazonian symbolism in the bust alludes to this
  feat.
• Retrieving the golden apples of the Hesperides.
• These are supposed to be the apples that Commodus
  is holding in his left hand.

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SYMBOLISM The Head and Torso
Draped over his head and shoulders and tied in a
perfect knot on his chest, is Hercules famous
lion skin (the skin of the Nemean Lion).
In his right hand he holds a club which is
representative of the Club of Hercules.
In his left hand he holds the Apples of the
Hesperides, these apples are symbolic of
Hercules victory and the immortality he gained
after.
All of these are direct references to Commodus
identification with Hercules.
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SYMBOLISM The Base
Kneeling on either side of the base are two
Amazon Women. Although headless, this figure
can be identified as an Amazon by her garb and
also by the fact that her right breast is bared.
These figures allude to one of the labours of
Hercules (Steal the girdle of the Amazon Queen
Hippolyte) and also personify the barbarian
nations conquered by the might of Rome.
These figures each support a Cornucopia (Horn of
Plenty). These horns represent the bounty of the
conquered lands that poured into Rome as booty,
tribute and taxes.
Only the hand remains of the Amazon on this side
of the base.
Orbis Terrarum
At the bottom of the base is a small globe, which
represents the Orbis Terrarum (orb of the world)
This orb is bisected by a line carved with
astrological signs (Scorpio Capricorn and
Taurus), these are probably references to
important dates or periods in Commodus reign.
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The cornucopias form a cross, which frames an
Amazon shield tipped at either end with the head
of and eagle and emblazoned with the head of a
Gorgon. The Gorgons head could be an allusion to
another of Hercules feats in which he is said to
have obtained a lock of the Gorgon Medusas hair
in order to save the town of Tegea.
The cornucopias form a cross, which frames an
Amazon shield.
SYMBOLISM The Base (Continued)
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DATE 192 or 197?

• Most sources date the bust to 192AD, the last
  year of Commodus reign.

• However, the Art Historian, J. M. Heer, dates the
  Commodus portrait to Septimus Severus' reign and
  appears to have a strong argument.
• AD193, Commodus declared damnatio memoriae by
  the senate
• All images destroyed, all records of his
  name/deeds struck from the record.
• AD197, Commodus officially deified by senate as
  Hercules Romanus.
• New Emperor, Septimus Severus fictitiously
  declared himself to be adopted son of Marcus
  Aurelius (thus linking himself to the Antonine
  dynasty). In doing this political act he had to
  declare his brother Commodus a God.
• To strengthen further his argument, Heer points
  out the astrological symbols of the bust relate
  to the spirit of Septimus Severus' rule.
• During Commodus reign, Severus was said to have
  consulted an astrologer about his imperial
  destiny.
• Later, when Septimus Severus was Emperor. he
  continued to consult astrologers and oracles on
  numerous state/private matters.
• He was so obsessed with the supernatural that he
  had his horoscope painted on the ceiling of the
  rooms in which he held court.