Commodus organized the Plebeian Games in November 192, during which he slaughtered hundreds of animals with arrows and javelins every morning and fought as a gladiator every afternoon, winning all of the battles. The death of Commodus heralded the end of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. His successor, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius, restored order to the empire after the chaos that followed the death of Commodus. Yes, Commodus actually fought as a gladiator. Although he was never declared emperor by the Senate, nor did he have any descendants who were, he became one of the most famous emperors in history thanks to his outrageous behavior. Historians say that Commodus' popularity grew because he abolished many existing laws and allowed people to do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't hurt others. He also paid criminals for killing members of the Senate which made him popular among the lower classes. He even gave away huge tracts of land which caused many problems for the future administrators of the empire since there wasn't enough manpower to police such large territories. Finally, he had two giant bronze statues built of himself dressed as a gladiator named Maxentius and Constantine. These statues are still standing today in Rome. After ruling for three years, Commodus died at the age of 31 after being stabbed through the chest by a hidden assassin.