Commodus’ Religious Policy

Abstract

Commodus’ religious policy shows two phases that correspond to two different attitudes both towards traditional religion and, more generally, to external cults, and towards Christianity. The breakthrough matured above all in the last years of his reign when Commodus made a break both with the imperial cult through as­similation to Hercules, which is however ephemeral, and with the anti-Christian policy of Marcus which is more fruitful and lasting in relation to the fate of subse­quent Christianity.