AVT K Λ AVΡ KOMOΔOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / EΛAITΩN, Crispina as Demeter, bust right, holding corn-ears and poppy. 18mm, 3.12 grams. BMC 47; SNG von Aulock 1614-1615.

Commodus (Lucius Aurelius Commodus, r. 180–192 CE) was a Roman emperor and the son of Marcus Aurelius. His reign marked a sharp break from his father’s more disciplined rule and is often seen as the beginning of the Roman Empire’s decline. Commodus styled himself as a heroic figure, even identifying with Hercules, and famously participated in gladiatorial contests in Rome, which scandalized the elite. His rule became increasingly erratic and autocratic, with heavy reliance on favorites and widespread corruption. After years of mismanagement and growing opposition, Commodus was assassinated in 192 CE, triggering a brief civil war known as the Year of the Five Emperors.