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eventVerified

The conspiracy of Maternus is dated to 187 in the reign chronology as received

This is not Lucilla 182 and not the 192 palace plot. In the causal graph this event weakens Democratic Resilience, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — a worsening welfare path.

Sources: [1][2]

Read the full account

Context

Shared provincial commands remain.

Commodus’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.

Livius lists a conspiracy of Maternus in 187. Herodian’s narrative of a deserter-brigand threat is a later literary carrier with possible conflation. This is not Lucilla 182 and not the 192 palace plot.

Who was responsible

Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.

  • Commodus

    Person

    Direct responsibility

    responsibility level 0.4 · verified

What changed

Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.

    1. FactThe conspiracy of Maternus is dated to 187 in the reign chronology as received
    2. weakensDriverDemocratic Resilience
    3. strengthensIndicators (3)Having a say in government
    Worsening path

    impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 1 January 187 · verified

    • Having a say in government

      via Democratic Resilience

      Worse

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.35 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.7)

      Observed

      29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)

      Worse than normal

      Two readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).

      20212023

      Above normal = better

    • Clean elections index

      via Democratic Resilience

      Worse

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      0.53 score from 0 to 1 · 0.34 below the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.17 score from 0 to 1 to 0.53 score from 0 to 1.

      Above normal = better

    • WJP Rule of Law Index (global)

      via Democratic Resilience

      Worse

      Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)

      Observed

      0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)

      Worse than normal

      Above normal = better

Evidence

The sources behind this fact and its verification state.

Verified2 sources on file
  1. 1.Herodian, Roman History — Livius EnglishLivius.org · High credibility · verified
  2. 2.Livius — CommodusLivius.org · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish

Livius records the 187 Maternus conspiracy. Herodian independently narrates serious internal military-brigand disorder under Commodus.

Commodus did not file a later UNESCO form, a later Loeb colophon, or a later museum label as a personal act. Label Herodian as later literary carrier. Split from Lucilla and from 192.

Causal path

How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.

  1. ActorCommodus
  2. contributed toFactThe conspiracy of Maternus is dated to 187 in the reign chronology as received
  3. weakensDriverDemocratic Resilience
  4. strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government

Cite this page

Factrail. (2026). The conspiracy of Maternus is dated to 187 in the reign chronology as received. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/com-maternius-conspiracy-187

https://factrail.ai/facts/com-maternius-conspiracy-187

Accessed 16 October 2026.

By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed

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