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11. Lucius Aurelius Commodus came to believe himself a god
Commodus ruled as Emperor of Rome alongside his father, Marcus Aurelius, from 177 to 180 CE, after which he ruled solely for another dozen years. He was 18 years of age when his father died, leaving him the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. His rule, though for the most part peaceful when considering foreign wars, was increasingly capricious and dictatorial, and the senatorial order of Rome which he taxed heavily grew to hate as well as fear him. He remained popular with the people through his staging of gladiatorial spectacles in which he frequently took part. He ensured he would emerge from combat victorious by disabling his opponents in a manner hidden to the audience before they entered the arena. He erected statues portraying him in godly status throughout the empire, and eventually bestowed the name of Commodianus upon the people and governmental infrastructure of the empire, implying they were all his children. He also renamed Rome after himself, calling himself the reincarnation of Romulus. Delusional and despotic, he was assassinated in 192. After his death, his statues were destroyed and he was declared an enemy of the people.