7. Divorce wasn’t the done thing for an Emperor, so Commodus had his wife killed to make space for his favorite mistress
Commodus was still only 16-years-old when he was wed to Bruttia Crispina, herself just a young girl, in the summer of 178. From the day they wed, Commodus was routinely unfaithful. Indeed, it was even expected that he would have numerous mistresses. He also kept several private brothels, and Crispina would have been only too aware of her husband’s indiscretions. Even if she had been bothered or upset, there was nothing she could have done But, what makes his treatment of his wife so despicable is that, in the end, Commodus accused her of adultery!
Despite having no proof of any alleged indiscretions, in 188 he had Crispina banished from Rome and sent to live on the island of Capri. A few months later, Commodus ordered some soldiers to head to the island and execute her. Commodus may have killed his wife because she ‘failed’ to give him a child. Far more likely, however, he was simply sick of her. By 187, he was infatuated with his favorite mistress, Marcia, and he wanted her to be his de-facto Empress. Of course, Commodus got his way – until Marcia ended up conspiring in his assassination that is.
