This is a bonus episode from our Patreon at the $2 level.

It's the third installment of our Jackasses of the Arena series--and we saved the best for last. 

The Emperor Commodus didn't just disguise himself as Hercules and compete in the arena (against drugged animals and gladiators with blunted swords, naturally). He turned the arena into a playground of terror so complete that even now, the PTSD of those who witnessed it leaps off the page. 

Ladies and gentlepeople, we give you: King Jackass of the Arena, the One Jackass to Rule Them All: Commodus.

Get more episodes like this here: https://www.patreon.com/ancienthistoryfangirl

*A note about this episode: Alert readers may notice that we quote Juvenal and Tacitus in this episode, which is a bit confusing since these two writers died before Commodus was born. Either a wizard did it, or Genn had too many tabs open when she wrote this.

The material cited largely came from the Historia Augusta.

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