Commodus

About Commodus

Commodus, Roman Emperor from 177 to 192 AD, is a consequential figure in classical history, earning the #118 rank from MIT's Pantheon project. His reign marked a significant shift in the Roman Empire, characterized by megalomania and a notorious devotion to gladiatorial combat, often participating in the arena himself. His political incompetence and increasing tyranny ultimately contributed to the instability that followed his assassination in 192 AD.

Despite this historical importance, Commodus receives a comparatively modest 1.4 million Wikipedia views in 2025, placing him in the category of 'under-attended' figures relative to his influence. To contextualize this, he receives less than half the annual attention of William McKinley (#136 importance, 2.9M views), a much less influential American president. Conversely, his attention level is far below that of Elon Musk (25.2M views), who ranks #273 in historical importance, illustrating a clear disconnect between historical weight and modern digital interest.

Furthermore, the digital interest in Commodus appears to be waning. His 2025 views show a year-over-year decline of -33.8%, and his momentum comparing Q1 to Q3 dropped by a stark -55%, suggesting that contemporary cultural relevance is quickly diminishing.