Narcissus

Who was Narcissus?

Narcissus was a Roman athlete, likely a wrestler, from the 2nd century AD. He is best known to history as the assassin of the Roman Emperor Commodus, by whom he was employed as a wrestling partner, and personal trainer in order to train Commodus for his self-indulgent appearances in the Colosseum as a gladiator. In the year 192 AD he was recruited by several senators, led by Praetorian prefect Quintus Aemilius Laetus, to assassinate the emperor.

On December 31 of that same year, Commodus's concubine and conspirator Marcia admitted Narcissus into Commodus's bedchamber. Commodus was supposedly in a drunken stupor after Marcia had poisoned him and Narcissus proceeded to strangle his master in his bathtub or, according to Herodian, in his bed.

The fictional character of general Maximus Decimus Meridius was partially based on Narcissus alongside being based on Marcus Aurelius's general Marcus Nonius Macrinus, Spartacus, Cincinnatus and Maximus of Hispania.