Commodus, Silver Denarius, Commodus as Hercules

Commodus (177-192 AD), silver Denarius, Rome, 192 AD, L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, laureate head of Commodus to right, rev. HERCVLI ROMANO AVG, Commodus, as Hercules, standing front, head to left, crowning trophy with his right hand and holding club and lion's skin with his left, 3.22g, 6h (BMC 346a. Cohen 202. MIR 859-4/30. RIC 254a). Lovely golden toning around Commodus on reverse, a very attractive and unusually complete example of this interesting issue, about extremely fine.

This silver denarius of Commodus, struck at Rome in 192 AD, during the final year of his reign, offers a fascinating insight into the emperor's increasingly extravagant self-image and his identification with the mythical hero Hercules. The obverse depicts a laureate portrait of Commodus facing right, accompanied by the inscription L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL. The reverse is particularly striking, depicting Commodus himself dressed as Hercules, standing with a club and the Nemean lion's skin, while crowning a trophy. The accompanying inscription, HERCVLI ROMANO AVG, translates as "To Hercules Romanus Augustus", effectively presenting Commodus as Hercules in his own imperial identity.

What makes this particular coin interesting is rather than simply depicting the traditional gods and personifications commonly found on Roman coinage, it presents the emperor directly in the guise of a mythological hero. This makes it an exceptionally revealing piece of imperial propaganda, offering a rare glimpse into how Commodus wished to be perceived by his subjects.

Commodus developed an extraordinary fascination with Hercules, increasingly associating himself with the legendary strongman and even adopting Hercules inspired clothing and attributes in public appearances. He believed that his imperial identity was closely connected to the divine hero and went so far as to portray himself as Hercules reborn. His obsession extended into the arena, where he famously participated in gladiatorial spectacles, presenting himself as a heroic figure before the Roman public.

By depicting himself as Hercules on the coinage, Commodus was doing much more than celebrating a mythological figure; he was attempting to elevate his own status beyond that of an ordinary emperor, presenting himself as a living embodiment of divine strength and authority.

Struck in the very year of his assassination, this scarce denarius is a remarkable historical document, capturing the extraordinary personality, ambitions and self-image of one of Rome's most controversial emperors.

The obverse inscription L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL translates to "Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Augustus, the Pious, the Fortunate."

The reverse inscription translates to "HERCVLI ROMANO AVG