The Gladiator

Gladiator Review

Poll

Real or Fake: Maximus

• Real

• Fake

Real or Fake: Maximus

• The main character Maximus is completely fictional!

• The creation of this character is influenced by several different historical people, particularly Roman generals, as well as by many gladiators.

Poll

Real or Fake: Marcus Aurelius

• Real

• Fake

Real or Fake: Marcus Aurelius

• Marcus Aurelius was a real Roman Emperor!

• He is considered to be one of the good emperors of Rome. He reigned from 161 CE to 180 CE and during that time he was loved by his people

• He navigated through a plague, invasions from Germanic tribes and a financial crisis.

Poll

Real or Fake: Commodus

• Real

• Fake

​Real or Fake: Commodus

• Commodus was a real Roman Emperor!

• It is considered that the movie inacurately portrays Commodus because it only lightly touches on the depths of his depravity.

• Some things Commodus is known for.....

  • When Rome burned he did nothing and then wanted to rename the city after himself when it was rebuilt

  • Believed he was the reincarnation of Hercules

  • Renamed the months of the year all after himself

Poll

Real or Fake: Thumbs Up or Down

• Real

• Fake

​Real or Fake: Thumbs up or down

• The thumbs up or down during the battles is not real!

• There is little-to-no evidence that these precise gestures were used. There is some suggestion though that gestures like this were used in the battles

Poll

Real or Fake: Wooden sword as a symbol of freedom

• Real

• Fake

​Real or Fake: Symbol for Freedom

• The process of a gladiator receiving their freedom is real!

• Once a gladiator had survived to reach retirement or had earned his freedom, he was given a wooden sword, or 'rudis', as a symbol.

• It was not necessary for every gladiator to receive that freedom from the Emperor.