I hate the movie "Gladiator" with Crowe in the title role. The main criterion for a historical film for me is not the budget, but the authenticity. And the film "Gladiator" is ahead of the rest in terms of the number of mistakes. Starting from the rank of Maximus - general - which actually appeared only in the 16th century in France, and in Rome the legions were led by legates and consuls to as commanders. And Marcus Aurelius died of the plague at Vindobona (Vienna), and was not strangled by Commodus. Commodus was stabbed to death by a slave, and he was not killed in the ring. Stirrups appeared only in the 6th century from the east, and in the film the cavalry gallops with stirrups. At that time, the appearance of stirrups in the cavalry can be equated with the appearance of the "atomic bomb" in the 40s. So the blunder is significant. And there are dozens of such blunders.

During the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the last emperor of the Golden Age of the Roman Empire, there was no Maximus. At least in the annals I did not come across any Maximus. But if you look at the biography of Maximus in the film, then his fate strongly resembles the fate of Gaius Julius Vera Maximin Thracian. Judge for yourself:

The first barbarian on the throne of Rome from the "soldier emperors" Maximinus was from a Thracian village, on the border with the barbarians; his parents were barbarians: his father came from the country of the Goths, and his mother from the tribe of the Alans. In early childhood he was a shepherd, and also the leader of the youth, set up ambushes against robbers and guarded his own from their attacks. He began military service in the cavalry under Septimius Severus. He stood out for his huge growth (almost 2.5 m), and also distinguished by valor, courageous beauty, indomitable temper, was stern and arrogant, contemptuous in his treatment, but often showed justice. The reason for his fame was the following event. On the birthday of his youngest son, Geta, Sever arranged war games. During the competition, Maximin defeated sixteen opponents one after another. Then the emperor, wanting to test his endurance in running, ordered Maximinus to accompany him and let the horse gallop. Having traveled a fairly long distance (and Maximin did not lag behind him a single step), Sever invited him to take part in the competition again. Maximin entered the struggle and defeated without respite the seven most powerful opponents. The emperor awarded him with a golden neck grivna and took him into his personal guard. Since that time, he became famous among the warriors. The North has always loved and singled him out. Under his patronage, Maximin took the first steps in his career. Under Caracalla, he served for a long time as a centurion.

In the image: The enemies of Rome - Germans and Dacians

During the reign of Macrinus, whom he greatly hated because he killed the son of his emperor, he left with military service and acquired land for himself in Thrace. When Macrinus was killed, Maximinus came to Heliogabal and again asked for service. But with this dirty and unworthy man, he could not have any meaning. Although he was given the title of tribune, he was mostly on the road about his business and treated imaginary diseases. Having become emperor, Alexander Sever immediately appointed Maximinus legate of the fourth legion. Despite his advanced age, he retained all his strength. They say that he called for a fight and knocked fifteen people to the ground, and he could pull a loaded cart towards him with one hand. When Alexander Severus was killed, perhaps not without the participation of Maximinus, the German legions and Praetorians of the North proclaimed him emperor. Having become emperor, Maximin always acted very cunningly, and not only controlled his soldiers by virtue of his valor, but also inspired them with the greatest love for himself by distributing awards. But possessing such virtues, at the same time he was so cruel that some called him Cyclops, others Skiron, and many Typhon. Some he crucified on the cross, others he imprisoned in the bodies of freshly killed animals, others he threw to be torn to pieces by wild animals and notched with rods - and all this, without paying attention to the situation of a person: it seemed that he wanted military discipline to reign everywhere. He was convinced that power could not be retained except by cruelty. At the same time, he was afraid that, due to his low, barbaric origin, the nobility would despise him. In order to hide the past, he destroyed everyone who knew about his family, even some friends who, out of pity for his poverty, gave him a lot. He did not tolerate a single noble person around him (Capitolin: "Two Maximins"; 8-9). Following this, Maximinus dismissed all those who accompanied Alexander as advisers, elected by the senate. He also expelled all the servants of the former emperor from the palace (Herodian: 7; 1). Another circumstance increased his cruelty: a true or imaginary conspiracy was discovered by a certain consular Magnus, who intended to kill the emperor after he crossed over to the German coast of the Rhine. But as soon as Maximinus became aware of this plan, he ordered to seize and kill all the suspects. In total, about four thousand people were executed without trial, without accusation, without denunciations, without protection. The haste with which everything was done resulted in the death of many innocents. And in general, they suspected that there was no conspiracy, it was just that the emperor dealt with his enemies in this way (Capitolin: “Two Maximins”; 10). Another mutiny took place at Osroene, where a group of influential officials, faithful to the memory of Alexander Severus, dressed Quartinus in purple. But then their leader, Macedon, changed his plans and killed Kvartin, which, however, did not help him save his own life. After these events, Maximinus became embittered and became very suspicious. He expelled from the army all the officers of the senatorial class and replaced them with professional soldiers, whom he himself promoted to the appropriate ranks. Maximinus spent all the time of his reign outside of Rome in a victorious, but extremely cruel struggle with Germanic tribes on the Rhine and Danube.

One of the ways to strengthen his authority Maximin considered the continuation of the great German war, which his predecessor had started so unsuccessfully. Even before Maximinus, a pontoon bridge was built on the Danube, a large army was assembled, recruited mainly from Thracians, Pannonians and Illyrians. First-class Syrian riflemen and Mauritanian skirmishers also participated. This largely determined the success of the offensive. When the Romans crossed the Rhine, they quickly broke the resistance of the Germanic tribes, mainly the Alemanni. Germany was terribly devastated. But when the Romans reached the wooded area, they met with a more stubborn advance. The Germans took refuge behind a deep swamp and did not give battle to the Romans. The soldiers stopped for a while. Then Maximinus, alone on horseback, jumped into a deep quagmire, capturing the whole army with his act. A stubborn battle ensued in the swamp, ending in the complete annihilation of the German militia. In the winter of 235-236, Maximinus withdrew his army to Pannonia and began to prepare an attack on the Germans from there. He intended to conquer all of Germany up to northern seas, but it was not possible to implement this grandiose plan: the military successes of Maximinus did not reconcile the tops of Roman society with him, the Romans hated the barbarian.

The cruelty of his methods and the financial extortion of his officials provoked an uprising against him, first in Africa, then in Italy and Rome. Maximin moved with an army to Italy, but during the protracted siege of Aquileia, he was killed along with his son and co-ruler, also Maximin, by the rebellious legionnaires. His biography was written by Kapitolin. According to Herodian, part of the legionnaires, whose camp was located near the Alban Mountain, conspired among themselves to kill Maximinus in order to get rid of a long and endless siege and no longer devastate Italy for the sake of the condemned and hated tyrant. Gathering their courage, they approached the imperial tent at noon. Maximin went out to talk to them, but they, without even letting him open his mouth, immediately killed him and his son on the spot. Then all his commanders and friends were killed, and their corpses were thrown without burial. The heads of Maximinus and his son were sent to Rome. The images of Maximinus in sculpture and on coins confirm Herodian's words about the frightening appearance of the emperor. The historian wrote:

“He was huge; it is not easy to find an equal to him among the famous Greek athletes or the best trained warriors of the barbarian tribes ... With his temper, such strength inspired fear in everyone. Maximinus replaced patient and restrained government with a barbarically rigid autocracy, well aware of the hostile attitude towards himself, the reason for which was that he became the first emperor to rise to the highest position from the very bottom. Maximinus was a barbarian both in origin and character, having inherited from his kinsmen a rough and cruel disposition ... His achievements would have provided him with a higher reputation, if he had not been too ruthless even to his allies and subordinates.

Mistakes in the movie

Although at first glance, Ridley Scott's Gladiator movie brings to the fore only the confrontation of hatred between the commanders Maximus and the heir to the Roman Empire Commodus, the second plan of the film is quite rich in memorable personalities. The gladiator does not give us a definite clear picture of the state in which the state is during the events described, therefore, different actors of history supplement the historical era in their own way with their stories. The key emotional motif that permeates the entire history of the picture is the theme of honor. Through the prism of its implementation, all the main characters develop.

The plot scales put the protagonist Maximus and the antagonist Commodus on opposite sides of the scales of personal qualities. In fact, Commodus embodies a range of contradictory and oppositional qualities to the general. Where our protagonist is ready to die in the name of honor, the new emperor destroys her remnants in himself, if there were any at the time of the beginning of events. One stands for friends and protects the woman, while the other sees enemies surrounded and wants to enter into an unnatural relationship with his sister. While Maximus, with his head held high, looks into the face of death and his enemies, no matter how strong they are, the lord of the Roman Empire cries and complains that he is powerless. Now the most famous gladiator overpowers his enemies, and the young heir resorts to low methods to look his best in front of the public.

Leaving behind the scenes the real story of the insane reign of Commodus in reality, we have an artistic antagonist, whose image is deliberately formed negatively. How does the future emperor appear from the first scenes of the film Gladiator. While the war was going on, he traveled for a month with all the conditions, under guard, and now he came, as it seems to him, to receive power from his father. He practices sword fighting in the morning, but has no real combat experience except with specially trained servants. Has an inappropriate soft spot for his sister in a sexual context. And all this before Commodus appears as the murderer of his own father, a liar, a false emperor, the sole judge for the family of Maximus.

Commodus has little interest in the state of his army in Germany, as he hastens to return to Rome and enter there as a conqueror. We are never given to understand why Commodus should be overthrown as a ruler at all, other than his personal qualities and history with the legacy of the title. A little later, it becomes clear that Commodus wants to usurp power in the empire, further strengthening the power and influence of the emperor. This is contrary to the dream and last will of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, adored by all. In this sense, the son's childish ambitions and thirst for power are opposed to the long-term wisdom of a philosopher and thinker worthy of a ruler. Marcus Aurelius also conquered peoples, killed and robbed, but after a quarter of a century he got tired of this and makes it clear that he was a hostage of the system. Commodus on the contrary, she wants to rule and conquer everyone - from her sister in bed to the senate and other peoples.

One of the brightest scenes Gladiator, which nevertheless shows us Commodus as a ruler, turns out to be the first experience at hearings in the senate. He looks bored listening to the problems of his people, plays with the sword, and then threatens one of the most powerful people's representatives. The plague in the districts of Rome is of little concern to the new emperor. In another scene afterward, he casually signs the scrolls as he monologues about what he really cares about - his enemy.

Together with all his ambitions, as the ruler of the greatest power of his time, Commodus is forced to reckon with the opinion of the crowd. If he can send his armed detachments to shut up one of the senators, suppress the hotbed of resistance in the camp of the gladiators and rein in his sister with the threat of reprisal against her son, the 50,000th rumble of the Colosseum and the same number of pairs of eyes cool the ardor of Commodus. That is, in fact, the antagonist in the film is not shown as an evil genius and a master of behind-the-scenes intrigues that can radically change the world around him. Commodus is torn between his own fantasies, hatred of Maximus, obsession with his sister, and the opinion of the mob.

In the face of General Maximus, movie gladiator presents us with a practical ideal protagonist of the story. A character who on the screen is devoid of the vicious qualities inherent in his opponent. Changing status from warlord to slave to gladiator to empire challenger, Russell Crowe's character remains largely the same person. While Commodus upsets the balance of what we call a sense of justice and to which spectators are usually very sensitive, Maximus sword in hand paves the way for the restoration of parity.

Unlike the power-hungry Commodus, Maximus does not seek power. One can argue with this statement, since he became the most famous and respected commander in the empire, the right hand of Marcus Aurelius, enjoys the location of the daughter of the ruler, the attention of senators. The movie makes it clear to us that the general serves for the good of Rome, whatever that means. The whole piquancy is that neither Maximus, nor Proximo, nor Commodus, nor senators, nor even Marcus Aurelius, a philosopher and an experienced ruler, can explain what Rome is and what it means to serve for the good of Rome.

In a dialogue with Senator Grak, the general says that he is now driven only by the desire to kill Commodus. And having become the head of the army that will enter Rome and overthrow the emperor, he will not usurp power, but simply retire. In fact, Maximus has nowhere to go to rest, since his house is burned down, his wife and son are dead. The very life of Commodus is the goal behind which is emptiness. Proximo says that he believes the word of the general, that he knows that he is ready to die for this word, for the glory of his ancestors, for the glory of Rome. Actually Maximus is the living embodiment of that unformed dream of Marcus Aurelius, which sounded like a whisper, it was so fragile. He is ready to give power to the people, as the wise late emperor wanted.

On his way to revenge, Maximus begins to pay attention to the people around him. The environment changed from purely military to rebellious, but this did not change the essence of the hero. He is ready to rally around him a bunch of slaves, captives, deserters, rebellious senators and not faithful to his brother, the emperor's sister.

Servant of Rome - Proximo

Unlike Commodus and Maximus, who practically do not change their own beliefs and values ​​between the beginning and end of history, the transformation of the slave trader and the owner of the gladiator school Proximo, takes place in the classical vein of the development of the image. For the first time, this character appears before us as a prudent businessman who does not put old acquaintances above business, like human lives above the life of giraffes, for which he gives more money. Proximo is extremely honest, both with himself and with his charges, when he says that he is going to cash in on their deaths. An invitation to return to Rome, after five years of a ban on fighting and wandering through the provinces of the empire, now brings him even more gold. Small arenas in the desert give way to the majestic Colosseum with its five ten thousand spectators and the emperor among them.

Once Proximo himself was a gladiator, and so legendary that he was able to get freedom from the emperor Marcus Aurelius himself. His hardened heart, as we see, does not burn with special empathy for the same slaves who die for the sake of his own enrichment. But the movie Ridley Scott Gladiator carefully prepares us for the apogee of the transformation of this image, which is death. Proximo is indignant upon learning of the uneven forces in the arena against his warriors. He believes that if you are a skilled warrior and know how to control the crowd, you are able to decide your own destiny, as he once did. He did not set up fights when he worked in the provinces and gave all the slaves a chance to prove themselves, which Maximus showed, becoming the “Spanish” for the public.

Since the leitmotif of the entire film is the question of honor, and the image Proximo skipped plot through it. He worries and rejoices for his gladiators during the first mass battle in the Colosseum. We are hinted that he is guided not by fear and not only by profit, helping to organize a meeting of the general with the emperor's sister, and then with Senator Grak. He respects the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius, calls him his friend. Perhaps the apogee of the change in his attitude to what is happening is the dialogue with Maximus. At first, Proximo refers to his status as a businessman and refuses to take part in the rebellion. But after he hears the phrase: “He killed a men who set you free” (He killed the man who gave you freedom), the actor’s face expresses a real conflict of emotions.

After that, we see Proximo, who ignores the cries of the imperial guard. We doubt for a second where he is going with the keys, until the moment we understand that to the general's cell. Proximo says that Maximus' friends are able to convince, meaning supposedly money again. However, he is well aware that now the guards will break through the gate and all his work will come to an end. Proximo realizes that he has only a few minutes left to live, so he does honorably in the last of them. Even from the lips of a slave trader, philosophical sayings come down that all this, in the end, and they themselves are only “shadows and dust”. The calm acceptance of death from the back symbolizes the end of the path of this charismatic hero, more important to the plot than it might seem at first.

The most powerful woman in the empire, respected by Maximus, in a perverted sense, brother, father Marcus Aurelius and even members of the Senate. For all her pedigree, almost at the very beginning of the events of the film Gladiator, the heroine Connie Nielsen becomes a hostage to the situation. She understands perfectly well that her brother killed her beloved father, which he himself does not hide in conversation afterwards. In this sense, the scene where Lucilla slaps Commodus for what he has done is very indicative and emotional, and then kisses the imperial ring, confessing that the situation is hopeless for her and her son. Then she still does not realize what danger threatens Lucius from her uncle. Circumstances force her to remain silent in relation to the fate of Maximus, whom she still loves and respects.

Behind this mask of submissiveness, however, lives a woman who is ready to overthrow her brother in order to get rid of the tyrant. These plans do not take any delineated form until Maximus is revealed to be alive. A person who is able to overthrow the emperor, unite the people. Lucilla takes action, making contact with the general almost immediately. She was already risking herself and her son very much, because the same Proximo could reveal what was happening to the emperor. We are given to understand that Lucilla and Grak had already closely communicated before and she knew about the mood in the Senate, which only needed a spark, which was the appearance on the horizon of a rebellious general and a gladiator.

While uncertainty hangs in the air, the main female character of the film is forced to endure constant threats, hints from her own brother. Hints that Commodus has an unhealthy relationship with his sister grow into nothing more. He first asks her for affection, and then completely admits that he sees her in his bed and the mother of their future common child, who will inherit the great Roman Empire. The boy Lucius, in this situation, is only a pawn in a game of threats.

Although Commodus says that he does not know other senators of Rome who lived as well as Grak, this image fits well with the concept of redefining the concept of honor. Yes, he is rich, owns servants, and is popular with the people and the senate. At the same time, the chosen one of the people draws the attention of the emperor to real problems, up to the threat of a plague epidemic. As it turns out, Commodus begins to establish a dictate, gradually abolishing the influence of the Senate on what is happening in the country. He is ready to participate in the overthrow of the cruel young emperor, openly expresses criticism of him, but is also not ready to change one dictator for another. Ultimately, Grak does everything for the glory of Rome, as this phrase is repeatedly repeated in the movie Gladiator. In one moment, he loses all his position and property, being imprisoned as a conspirator. But he is shown to us as one of those who will fulfill the very dream of Marcus Aurelius, which is too fragile to be said aloud.

Quint is an almost powerless image of the puppet of the system, which is forced to serve the orders that come. Without any doubt, he was ready to fulfill any order from Marcus Aurelius, even criminal, because this is his emperor. Guards swear allegiance to the ruler of the empire. At the beginning of the events of the film, Quint and Maximus are shown as comrades and friends. It is not entirely clear what the head of the Praetorian Guard does in the heat of battle and why he manages part of the troops on behalf of the general, but these are questions for historical authenticity, and not for the artistic value of the picture. Possibly the film's most controversial character, less so than others in charge of his own destiny.

The prospect of killing Maximus and, on the explicit orders of Commodus, massacring his family does not bring him joy. Quint accepts the order dispassionately, as a faithful servant of the will of his master. When the gladiator "The Spaniard" reveals his identity to the emperor, Quintus is also stunned. This undermines his position, because the order was not carried out, and he knows that Maximus interrupted the guard and fled. Perhaps in his decision not to reveal the truth to Commodus lies not only fear, but also the opportunity that he gave to an old friend. In the last scene, Quintus, which seems fantastic, refuses to save the life of his emperor and forbids the guardsmen to give the sword, as he himself does. Thus, by the end of the story, he also takes the path of honor, moving away from the dishonor of past deeds. He listens to the last words of Maximus and the will of Marcus Aurelius, frees the prisoners and helps to carry the body of the fallen hero. Leaving the corpse of his master to dry in the sand of the arena.

Most gladiators were convicted criminals, captured by the military or despised slaves. In a frantic mortal battle against the same unfortunate, the gladiators of Rome tried in this way to gain their freedom - after all, the winner of the bloody fight, causing delight and respect for the entertaining public, could count on the removal of punishment and restoration of rights if he was a citizen.

Along with this, some Roman gladiators were free citizens who risked their legal and social status, and most importantly, their lives for the sake of money and fame.

Spartacus - a gladiator who rebelled against Rome

Over the centuries, this legendary name has inspired many political thinkers, and the image of Spartacus has been repeatedly used in literature and cinema as a symbol of the oppressed and the rebels in the struggle for freedom. However, no historical document indicates that the purpose of the rebellion he raised, known as the Spartacus revolt, was to end slavery in the Roman Republic.

Most of the details from his life are connected precisely with these events and little is known about his youth. The Greek biographer and essayist Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian from a nomadic tribe" who became a Roman mercenary and fought in Macedonia. The iron discipline that reigned in the Roman legions prompted him to attempt an escape. As noted by the ancient Greek historian and philosopher Appiano of Alexandria, Spartacus was soon captured, recognized as a deserter, and condemned to enslavement under Roman military law. About 75g. BC. he was sold to Lentulo Batiato, a lanist who owned a gladiator school in Capua, where Spartacus fought in the arena of the Capuano amphitheatre. A few years later, 70 slaves, dissatisfied with the conditions of their detention, fled the school. Armed with kitchen knives and agricultural tools taken from there, the fugitives defeated a group of Roman soldiers sent in pursuit from the local garrison and took refuge on the slopes of Vesuvius.

The previous military experience and knowledge of the tactics of the legionnaires provided Spartacus with leadership and the first successes in military clashes with regular troops sent by Rome to pacify the rebels.

In the spring of 72 BC. the army of Spartacus, already numbering more than 30 thousand people, moved north, intending to cross the Alps and leave the peninsula. Alarmed by the rebellion, the senate sent eight legions of well-trained soldiers against him, led by Licinius Crassus, who forced the defeated troops of Spartacus to retreat to the south. According to Plutarch, the Roman gladiator made a deal with the Cilician pirates to transport the remnants of his army to Sicily, but they betrayed him. The last battle in which Spartacus was defeated and killed, according to the same Plutarch, took place in 71g. BC. near Petelia, in Calabria.

Death of Spartacus. Engraving by Hermann Vogel (1882)

Gladiator Crixus

An associate of Spartacus, a native of Gaul, he was also one of the leaders of the slaves who fled from the Lanist school in Capua. However, after the first successes in battles with the Roman legions, part of the rebels led by Crixus, consisting of his fellow Gauls and Germans, separated from the army of Spartacus. Some historians argue that this was the wrong tactical move, which included the diversion of part of the Roman legions; others suggest that certain disagreements arose between the two leaders - Spartacus wanted to get to the lands of Gaul and disband the army, while Crixus, pursuing personal goals, intended to plunder southern Italy. Either way, this was the beginning of the end.

In the spring of 72 BC. consul Lucius Gellio Publicola, sent after the army of Crixus, in a decisive battle at Mount Gargan in Apulia, defeated him, destroying about 30 thousand. disobedient slaves. The Roman gladiator himself, being wounded in the chest, dropped to one knee and gave the legionnaire the opportunity to cut off his head. According to the testimony of the ancient Roman historian Titus Livius (59 BC-17 AD), the executor was the praetor Quintus Arrius himself, a famous politician and military leader, who then took the head of Crixus as a trophy. Spartacus honored the memory of the former gladiator in the manner of the Roman aristocrats - he arranged a funeral gladiatorial games, in which 300 Roman prisoners of war participated, forced to fight to the death.

Gladiatricians - brave female gladiators of Rome

Little is known about female gladiators (gladiatrice) - there are only about a dozen literary fragments in the world and a bas-relief with an epigram found in Halicarnassus, dating from the 2nd century AD. e. and is now in the British Museum.

Bas-relief found at Halicarnassus. I-II centuries AD

For the first time they are mentioned in his writings by the ancient Roman historian and writer Publius Cornelius Tacitus. According to his description, it is believed that the first fights in the arena between women date back to 63. BC. During the reign of Nero, the freedman Patrobius arranged unusual gladiator fights for the emperor, in which women participated. The magnificent action was timed to coincide with the visit of the king of Armenia Tiridates I.

Ancient bronze figurine depicting a female gladiator. Museum of Art in Hamburg

One of the proofs of the existence of female gladiators in Rome can be an antique bronze statuette found in the storerooms of the Hamburg Museum of Art by the archaeologist of the University of Granada Alfonso Magnas. According to his conclusion, in the hands of the statue is a sica (sica) - a short curved dagger, which was a common weapon among the Thracians and Dacians. As the historian himself notes, “the appearance of naked female gladiators in the arena produced an exciting effect on the crowd. Watching women in an atypical role stimulated the male imagination and libido."

According to some legends, Gerardesca Manutius, a twenty-eight-year-old runaway slave who joined the Spartacus rebellion, could have headed the list of female gladiators. A seductive black-haired beauty and a former courtesan, she quickly mastered the techniques of warfare and fought on a par with men. After the defeat of the army of Spartacus, the captive Gherardescu, like the rest of the fugitive slaves, was expected to be executed. However, Licinius Crassus himself pardoned the woman, giving her the opportunity to fight in the arena as Roman gladiators. According to various testimonies, she won two hundred fights. Death overtook Gherardescu in the arena in a fight against two dwarfs, one of whom crept up behind the gladiatrician and stabbed her, thrusting a trident into her back.

History of the gladiator Commodus

Ancient Roman morality demanded that the gladiators of Rome enter the arena from the lower social classes of society. However, despite this, according to the chroniclers, some emperors also spoke in public.

Emperor Commodus. Part of the sculptural composition in the Capitoline Museums. Rome

The most famous of them was Commodus (161-192 AD) - the eighteenth Roman emperor, who had a fanatical passion for gladiatorial combat. Imitating the exploits of the legendary Hercules, he appeared in the arena in a lion's skin to fight wild animals and once even killed a hundred lions in one day. Nevertheless, the famous ancient Roman chronicler Dion Cassius (155-235 AD) noted that the emperor was an experienced archer who could hit a running ostrich right in the head with this weapon. Having beheaded the bird, Commodus brought its head to the front rows of the amphitheater, where eminent persons and senators were seated. However, they found his actions more ridiculous than frightening and often chewed bay leaves so as not to give themselves away with laughter.

Commodus, being left-handed, was extremely proud of this fact and, speaking in fights with gladiators, he always won. However, the Romans considered his battles shameful, since sick or physically handicapped people, as well as captured wounded soldiers, got into the arena as the intended victims, which caused anger among the military officials of Rome. Perhaps in the future this was the reason for the murder of Commodus.

Maximus - gladiator or fictional hero

The film "Gladiator" (2000) by American film director Ridley Scott marked the revival of the "pepulum" genre, which was so popular at the turn of the 50s and 60s of the last century, with its release on the screens.

Frame from the film "Gladiator" (2000)

However, the reliability of the facts set forth in the blockbuster can mislead the viewer, who is inexperienced in ancient Roman history. Therefore, I would like to note that the gladiator Maximus is a fictional character. His prototype in the film may have been Gaius Julius Verus Maximus (Latin - Gaius Julius Verus Maximus), the son of the Roman emperor Maximinus Thrax (173-238) and Caecilia Paolina.

One day, the costume designer for the film Gladiator complained that the audience was usually only interested in one thing—has she seen Russell Crowe. According to her, no one understands what a colossal role the costumers and designers actually played in the film. We will analyze the details of the clothes and image of General Maximus, which symbolically passed through the entire film. Maximus begins the film as a general and wears luxurious armor, emphasizing his high status in society. They depict the head of a wolf and Persian lions with wings - symbols of power.

Then he becomes a gladiator slave and enters his first battle in rags.

The armor had to be comfortable for Russell Crowe, so it was made from foam rubber. Masking foam under the skin has become another challenge for costumers.

The costume designers had to make eight copies of each version of the armor. Four is for an actor. Four are for stuntmen: a stuntman in driving scenes and a stuntman in battle scenes. For filming, three versions of the armor were needed - clean, bloody and dirty. In total, more than 27,000 armor pieces were made for the film. After each victory, new elements were added to the Maximus armor. In the middle of the film, when a massive gladiator fight takes place, Maximus's armor depicts two Persian lions, two Spanish horses (in one scene, he jokingly names them Argento and Scarto), and a cypress tree.
The idea of ​​adding new elements after each fight belonged to Russell Crowe himself. He told director Ridley Scott about her, and he also considered her beautiful. In the final scenes of the film, Maximus' wife and son appear on the armor, which symbolize Elysium - a paradise for the pagan Romans, which Maximus dreams of entering.

All photographs are copyrighted by Universal Studios.