Narcissus (wrestler)
{{Short description|Roman wrestler and assassin of Emperor Commodus}}
Narcissus (born 2nd century A.D.) was a Roman athlete,Cassius Dio, Roman History, Book LXXII, pg. 117.Lampridius, Historia Augusta. "Life of Commodus," pg. 306. likely a wrestler,Herodian of Antioch, History of the Roman Empire from the Death of Marcus Aurelius to the Accession of Gordian III, I.i.; Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1.4. from the 2nd century AD. He assassinated the Roman emperor Commodus in 192 AD.
Life and work
Narcissus was employed as a wrestling partner and personal trainer to Commodus in order to train him for his self-indulgent appearances in the Colosseum as a gladiator.
In AD 192, several senators, led by Praetorian prefect Quintus Aemilius Laetus, recruited Narcissus to assassinate the emperor after a previous failed attempt by the conspirators.
On 31 December 192, Commodus's concubine and conspirator Marcia poisoned Commodus's wine. The poison failed, so Narcissus entered Commodus's bedchamber.{{cite web |last1=Wasson |first1=David L. |title=Commodus |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/commodus/ |website=World History Encyclopedia |accessdate=22 November 2020}} Commodus was supposedly in a drunken stupor after Marcia had poisoned him and Narcissus proceeded to strangle Commodus in his bathtub or, according to Herodian, in his bed.
Death
Narcissus was executed during the series of civil wars after Commodus's death.
References
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Category:Ancient Roman sportspeople
Category:Year of death unknown
Category:Ancient Roman assassins
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