Commodus had made a conscious association between himself and Hercules and, in the final year of his reign - AD 192 - adopted the title Invictus Romanus Hercules, representing himself as an incarnation of Hercules.
The Reverse of this coin continues this association, with the Legend HER ROM COND - 'Hercules (Re)Founds Rome' - alluding to Commodus' re-founding of the city of Rome, dubbing it Commodiana (Dio 73.15). The scene here is likely the representation of the ploughing of the pomerium. 
The same association with Hercules is a frequent representation of Commodus in both artistic and numismatic images, such as this aureus of AD 191-192, with the scene of Hercules clasping hands with the personification of Africa.
Image: RIC III Commodus 259
Image: RIC III Commodus 259
Indeed Dio (73.22.3) tells us that he went so far as to have the head cut of the Colossus and replaced with a likeness of his own, placing additions of a lion and club to the statue, so that it became a representation of Commodus-Hercules.
For more on Commodus as god-emperor, see:
Speidel, M. P. “Commodus the God-Emperor and the Army.” The Journal of Roman Studies, vol. 83, 1993, pp. 109–114.
jstor.org/stable/300981
#ACOTD #Commodus
Speidel, M. P. “Commodus the God-Emperor and the Army.” The Journal of Roman Studies, vol. 83, 1993, pp. 109–114.
jstor.org/stable/300981
#ACOTD #Commodus
