In the story of Gladiator, the Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the evil Emperor Commodus. His family is murdered and he becomes a slave and then sold to become a gladiator. It's a great revenge story, but the character of Massimo is entirely fictional. Although very well written, Maximus is more of a narrative device to allow the audience to experience the most important aspects of Roman life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The setting of the film is set in 180 AD, at the height of Rome's golden age. It has ruled the lives of nearly a quarter of the world's population, and its mighty empire stretches from the forests of northern England to the deserts and great cities of Egypt and the Middle East. For the most part there is peace and prosperity throughout the empire. Rome is at the limit of its power and influence. 63 years have passed since the empire's last territorial expansion. His armies now focus solely on defending the borders from barbarian invaders. Emperor Marcus Aurelius fought a series of bloody wars against Germanic tribes along the Danube River. Much loved by his people, he is generally considered today to be one of the last great Roman emperors. His leadership has certainly been tested in these conflicts. This is because they were not the same barbarians that Rome had successfully defeated in the past. By now they were highly organized and equally ferocious. However, Marcus Aurelius was able to rise to the challenge during the Marcomannic Wars. The film begins with what was the final battle of these long wars. The film does a great job of authentically portraying the Roman war machine. In open battle the Romans were unstoppable. Using the latest ballista and onager technology, they were able to crush anyone on the field. It was through these tactics that allowed the Romans to emerge victorious time and again. Once the battle is over, Marcus Aurelius summons his son Commodus to the front. This is where the film deviates from the actual story. Marcus Aurelius tells Commodus that he will not be emperor, but that his powers will pass to Maximus until the Senate is ready to rule. While this is an important scene and provides the necessary catalyst for the rest of the film, there was actually never any doubt that Commodus would become emperor. It was in fact Marcus Aurelius who restored the policy of succession by male heir that all his predecessors had abandoned. To prepare Commodus, Marcus Aurelius undertook his campaigns against the barbarians at a young age to instruct him in the lessons of warfare and rule the people for much of his childhood. At the age of 15 Commodus became emperor together with his father. Thus, when the real Marcus Aurelius died in 180 AD, Commodus became sole emperor at the age of 19. Despite everything his father had prepared him for, Commodus had no interest in pursuing his father's vision for Rome. In the same year he abruptly ended campaigns along the Danube and negotiated a tenuous peace treaty with the barbarian tribes. He returned to Rome and organized a triumph in his honor. His main concern thereafter was to have as much fun as possible and to leave the management of government to more interested people. Gladiator games were the most popular event in the Roman world. They are probably the perfect representation of Roman values. The courage to face mortal combat, the contempt for death and the courage necessary to face it in the end with honor. If a gladiator lost and was sentenced to death, it was up to him to show thecrowd like dying like a Roman. It cannot be said enough how seriously the Romans took these games and the amount of preparation needed to perform them. Gladiator is one of the few examples that actually tones down how ridiculous these games would get. The Colosseum, the largest amphitheater in the world, could seat 50,000 people and host a variety of spectacles such as gladiator fights, animal hunts, re-enactments of famous battles, and they would flood the arena and have actual naval battles. Sometimes all this happened in the same week. Since gladiators were preferred among all other forms of entertainment, they were also groomed for the same level of professionalism. In the film, gladiators are randomly chosen slaves with no real purpose other than to die in the arena and with very little care provided. their training and selection. The games themselves are completely chaotic where gladiators are thrown into the arena and the fighting simply becomes a free for all. In reality the Romans would have considered the matches in the film very unsporting. The slaves chosen to become gladiators were always in perfect physical condition. They then underwent months of rigorous training to hone their fighting skills and, when not training, were well fed and pampered with Roman baths and massages. A good comparison between the way a gladiator was chosen and cared for is the same way racehorses are treated today. A lot of money was invested in these games, so the Romans wanted to offer the best show possible. In the film each gladiator appears to be wearing randomly chosen armor and they all look completely different from each other. In reality the armor was chosen to adapt to the type and fighting style of the gladiator. The Romans had their favorite types and loved to see how their gladiators fared against others. They usually pitted someone who was agile and fast against someone who was heavy and strong. The Romans loved to argue about which attribute was more important. But among all the Romans, there was no one more obsessed with games than Commodus. In Gladiator, Commodus is played perfectly by Joaquin Phoenix. While it's clear that the emperor is a villain, we see a truly tragic figure, deeply tied to his lack of relationship with his father. It is clear that Marcus Aurelius is preparing Commodus to become emperor. He spent much of his life constantly criticized by his father without an ounce of affection. Unable to meet his father's expectations, it is no surprise when he feels bitterness towards Massimo. He recognizes Marcus Aurelius' love despite never receiving any of it himself. So when Marcus Aurelius declares that Maximus is the protector of Rome, it is not only a betrayal of Commodus, but he admits to the entire known world that Marcus Aurelius does not appreciate or even love his son. After killing Marcus Aurelius, Commodus prepares a series of very expensive games in honor of his father. The real Commodus was not at all sympathetic. The big games he hosted served no purpose other than to serve his own indulgence. He couldn't be interested in anything else, especially ruling the empire. He was so obsessed with gladiators that he wanted to be one and entered the arena to fight them. Just like in the movie, these fights would be rigged. He would be equipped with the best weapons and armor money could buy, and the man he faced would be handicapped and armed with a blunt blade. These honorable fights caused his popularity among the Roman people to decline. When Commodus wasn't playing gladiator or throwing epic feasts, he was having countless people murdered. That it was to take possession.