8. Always the egotist, Commodus changed the months of the year to name them after him, and that wasn’t the only thing he re-named in his own honor
Not content with declaring himself to be the second coming of the Hercules, Commodus also announced himself to be the new Romulus. The original had been the mythical founder of Rome. And so, in naming himself his historic successor, the egotistical Emperor presented his reign as the start of the second Golden Age of the Eternal City, even if it was anything but! To promote this idea, Commodus renamed the city after himself in the year 192. From then on, he declared, the city would be known as Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana. What’s more, all of its citizens would be known as Commodianus.
Alongside this, he also renamed the calendar after himself – handily, he had given himself 12 names. So, from the year 192, the months of the year were to known as: Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Hercules, Romanus, Exsuperatorius, Amazonius, Invictus, Felix and Pius. He even announced that the day these reforms came into being would be known as the Dies Commondianus. Furthermore, Legions of the Roman Army, were re-branded as Commodianae. He also declared that the Senate should be referred to as the Commodian Fortunate Senate. The latter was seen as a step too far by many of Rome’s Senators.
