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The Romans have been studied for over the past millennia, due to their history of conquest, bloody games, and political struggle. This idea of the fearsome Romans have become a recent interest to the general public, especially movie productions. They have made countless movies; however, sometimes the productions diverge from the truth of what the Romans actually accomplished. Due to this, many inaccuracies have been found in these recent films. The 2000 film, Gladiator, is largely inaccurate based on its portrayal of Commodus, Marcus Aurelius, and the beginning battle in the Germanic lands.
Commodus was a real emperor who ruled the empire from 180 AD to 191 AD. However, his portrayal is completely inaccurate based on his appearance in the Colosseum, his relationship with his sister, and his eventual death. First, in the movie, Commodus fights in a duel with Maximus in the Colosseum. He is dressed in white armor that has a secret compartment where he stores an extra dagger to help him in case he loses his sword. This is inaccurate because Commodus believed that he was the incarnate of Hercules, the famous Greek hero (see Picture 1); while he did fight in the Colosseum, he dressed up as Hercules, with no other compartments. Second, the movie shows him have a particular love interest in his sister, Lucilla. This is also inaccurate because Commodus had his own wife, who was not his sister. More importantly, when he was the target of an assassination plot which Lucilla was a part of, he exiled and eventually killed her for treason. Finally, the movie depicts Commodus’ death as a result of Maximus stabbing him in the neck in the middle of the Colosseum. The truth is that Commodus was killed through an assassination plot, involving a gladiator strangling Commodus while taking a bath. Commodus is badly portrayed in the movie because the character does not relate himself to Hercules, has a sexual desire for his sister, and has a violent death in the Colosseum.
Marcus Aurelius is Commodus’ father and is known as the last of the Five Good Emperors in Roman History who ruled from 121 AD to 180 AD. However, he is also inaccurately portrayed based on his untimely death, and his choice for a legitimate heir to the leadership of the Roman Empire. The movie shows Marcus Aurelius’ death at the hands of Commodus, due to Aurelius’ refusal to make his son the legitimate heir to become emperor. First, Marcus Aurelius willingly made Commodus his legitimate heir to the throne. By making Commodus his co-emperor (where his son would rule with him until his death), he has officially made Commodus his heir. Second, historians do not know much about Marcus Aurelius’ death, although many suggest he died by a plague, rather than a brutal assassination. Marcus Aurelius’ character is inaccurately portrayed because he actually willing to give Commodus the inheritance to the emperorship, and his death is largely unknown by most.
Finally, the movie’s depiction of the beginning battle in the Germanic lands is another inaccuracy because of the improper weapons used in the battle, such as the use of catapults and fire-tipped arrows. The movie showed the Romans in a scene fighting an army of barbaric Germanic warriors, fighting in a standard battlefield. They used catapults to shoot projectiles that were lit on fire, and they used many fire-tipped arrows. Romans did use catapults in war; however, they were used only in sieges when it was necessary to have a way to break down the defense walls. The use of catapults in a limited space where there weren’t any walls to break, was possibly another way for the movie productions to increase the intensity of the battle. The movie also added fire-tipped arrows into the scene, where a huge horde of Roman soldiers shot them at the enemy. However, the Romans were not known for any use of fire-tipped arrows. There aren’t any sources that tell historians that they were in use. It is possible that the movie production put the fire-tipped arrows to make the scene more intense for the viewers. The Roman battle techniques differed from what the movie displayed because of the improper use of catapults in battle, and the unlikely usage of fire-tipped arrows in the Roman military.
In conclusion, Ridley Scott’s 2000 film, Gladiator, is largely inaccurate because of the portrayal of Commodus, Marcus Aurelius, and the battle in the Germanic lands. Commodus’ character in the movie doesn’t wear a Hercules outfit in the arena, has sexual feelings for his sister, and dies a bloody death in the Colosseum. However, Commodus believed himself to be the incarnate of Hercules (whom he fought as when participating in the violent games), he was already married and killed his sister, and he was strangled by a gladiator by surprise. The movie shows Marcus Aurelius’ character unwilling to make Commodus his own heir, and due to this, he was killed by Commodus. Actually, Marcus Aurelius made Commodus his co-emperor (which officially made Commodus his heir), and Marcus Aurelius’ death is largely unknown (although most think it was disease). Finally, the opening scene in the movie depicts the use of catapults and flame-tipped arrows. In truth, catapults were used only in sieges, and flame-tipped arrows were not recorded to be used by the Romans. While the Roman Empire fell many years ago, their stories have become popular today, through the production of many movies. However, it is important to remember that sometimes, fact and fiction differ and it is necessary to identify which is which.
Work Cited:
Primary Sources:
“Commodus.” RIC Volume III - Commodus (180-192 AD), Beast Coins, www.beastcoins.com/RomanImperial/III/Commodus/Commodus.htm. Accessed 16 July 2017.
“Life of Commodus.” Historia Augusta, University of Chicago, penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/historia_augusta/commodus*.html. Accessed 16 July 2017.
Secondary Sources:
“Commodus.” Commodus, www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-emperors/commodus.htm. Accessed 16 July 2017.
“'Marcus Aurelius' Marcus Annius Verus (AD 121 - AD 180).” 'Marcus Aurelius' Marcus Annius Verus (AD 121 - AD 180), Roman-Empire.net, www.roman-empire.net/highpoint/marcaurelius.html. Accessed 16 July 2017.
O'Neill, Tim. “Is the Roman Legion Fighting the Germanic Tribes in Germania Accurately Portrayed in the Beginning of the Film Gladiator?” Quora, Quora.com, 26 Apr. 2016, www.quora.com/Is-the-Roman-legion-fighting-the-Germanic-tribes-in-Germania-accurately-portrayed-in-the-beginning-of-the-film-Gladiator. Accessed 16 July 2017.
Scott, Ridley, director. Gladiator (Motion Picture: 2000). IMDb, 2000.
Whittemore, Jessica, director. The Five Good Emperors of Rome & the Nervan-Antonine Dynasty. Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/the-five-good-emperors-of-rome-the-nervan-antonine-dynasty.html. Accessed 16 July 2017.
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