Commodus as Hercules

312, Lot: 206. Estimate $200. Sold for $340. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Commodus. AD 177-192. AR Denarius (16mm, 2.56 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 191-192. Head right, wearing lion skin headdress / HER-CVL/ROM-AN/AV-GV in three lines across field, divided by club; all within wreath. RIC III 251; RSC 190. Good VF, light porosity.

Over the later part of Commodus’ reign, numerous events suggest the emperor was becoming mentally ill. A number of our sources tell us that Commodus thought of himself as the reincarnation of Hercules. It is said that in public spectacles he would dress in the manner of Hercules and bludgeon prisoners to death with a club.