The Emperor Commodus, From the Enc. Britt.: born Aug. 31, 161, Lanuvium, Latium [now Lanuvio, Italy], died Dec. 31, 192. in full Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus, original name (until AD 180) Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus Roman emperor from 177 to 192 (sole emperor after 180). His brutal misrule precipitated civil strife that ended 84 years of stability and prosperity within the empire.