Now playingFighting an implacable enemy in Germany, Marcus Aurelius trains his decadent son Commodus to succeed him, while rumor and intrigues brew back in Rome.
Roman Empire
S1 · E1 — Born in the Purple
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The Making of an Emperor
The Germanic tribes strike as Marcus Aurelius succumbs to disease, leaving a skeptical Emperor Commodus to prosecute a war that doesn't interest him.
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Episodes
Now playingThe Germanic tribes strike as Marcus Aurelius succumbs to disease, leaving a skeptical Emperor Commodus to prosecute a war that doesn't interest him.
Commodus rises to power as Rome's new emperor, but not everyone supports his ascent. Among those conspiring against him: his older sister Lucilla.
Commodus defeats his sister's coup but withdraws from governing, allowing other to amass power while he engages in an affair and banishes his wife.
A disastrous grain shortage reaveals Cleander's treachery and leaves Commodus isolated, inspiring him to trains as a gladiator in a bid to unite Rome.
Lavish imperial games at the Colosseum are highlighted by the emperor's bloody victories, but his paranoid abuses of power lead to a final betrayal.