9. Commodus came to see himself as the reincarnation of Hercules and would demand people addressed him as the Greek god
Around the year 190, Commodus suddenly decided that he was the living reincarnation of the god Hercules. The ancient historian Herodian gives the best account of this obsession. He wrote: “First he discarded his family name and issued orders that he was to be called not Commodus, son of Marcus, but Hercules, son of Zeus. Abandoning the Roman and imperial mode of dress, he donned the lion skin, and carried the club of Hercules. … He erected statues of himself throughout the city …. for he wished even his statues to inspire fear of him.”
A bust representing Commodus as Hercules is still one of the most defining and iconic images of Ancient Rome. In the marble artwork, which dates back to between 183-190AD, the vain Emperor is seen with a lion skin over his head, alluding to one of the 12 Labours of Hercules. Along with the club of the warrior-god in his right hand (even though Commodus was left-handed), he’s shown holding the golden apples of Hesperides in the other, an allusion to another one of the Greek hero’s most famous feats.