Historical deviations in Gladiator (2000 film)

Ridley Scott wanted to portray the Roman culture more accurately than in any previous film and to that end hired several historians as advisors. Some variations were to make the film more interesting and to improve story flow and some were for practical or safety reasons. The publics perception of what ancient Rome was like due to previous Hollywood movies made some historical facts, according to Scott, “too unbelievable” to include. At least one historical advisor resigned due to the changes he made and another asked not to mentioned in the credits. Historians call the movie both the worst and best of films. The worst for the historical inaccuracies in a film Scott promoted as historically accurate, and the best for the film's accurate depiction of the people and violence of the late second century A.D. [ [http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/wardgladiator1.html The Movie "Gladiator" in Historical Perspective] Allen Ward University of Connecticut May 2001]

Biographical

*Commodus tells Lucius Verus a story "about our ancestor, the emperor Claudius". Since Commodus's forebears were provincial Romans from Spain and Gallia Narbonensis, they claimed no descent from the Julio-Claudian family of which Claudius was a member.

*The boy Lucius Verus is the son of the historical Lucius Verus, Marcus Aurelius's co-emperor, who was indeed Lucilla's first husband but Lucius died in infancy. They had three children, but only a daughter (whose name is unknown) survived to adulthood and was later to be executed for her part in the plot to kill Commodus in 182. Lucilla actually did have another son, by her second husband Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus, named Aurelius Commodus Pompeianus who was six years old at the time of the assassination plot depicted in the film.
*The impression is given that Lucilla is only recently widowed, but Lucius Verus had died eleven years before the death of Marcus.
*Maximus's name, as he gives it in full, confuses Roman practice, since Maximus is a cognomen and Decimus a praenomen: his correct name should have been Decimus Meridius Maximus. If we use the movie version of the name (Maximus Decimus Meridius) then Roman practice would have required him to be called Meridius throughout the movie. Using a praenomen when addressing a Roman would have been considered offensive unless it was by a family member.

*Proximo is an Italian name and would not have been used by a Roman Lanista. He should have been called Proximus. He also talks about the "Ludus Magnus Gladiatores" when in fact the correct Latin is "Ludus Magnus Gladiatorum".

*Although Maximus was a fictional character, his life and career (before the death of Marcus) was similar to that of Lucilla's second husband Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus. The real supreme commander of the battle the opening scene is thought to have been based on was Taruttienus Paternus who was later executed for involvement in the plot to assassinate Commodus. A Maximus did exist in this time period. In 183 Commodus confiscated the estates of, and put to death, a senator named Maximus who had won an important victory over the Germans in 178. The reason for his execution is unknown.

*Commodus in the movie appears to be in his mid-to-late twenties, single, is of average build, has dark hair, and is right handed. In reality, he was eighteen (when Marcus died), was married to Bruttia Crispina, had a strong physique, golden blond hair (he dyed his hair and always had it coated with gold dust) and was left handed. Interestingly, the real Commodus had a notable deformation, though his genitals were of normal proportions they protruded so noticably (even when clothed) that they were a popular subject of poetry. [Historia Augusta: Commodus.]

Historical

*There is no basis for the idea that Marcus Aurelius wanted to restore the Roman Republic. By this stage in Roman history that idea was completely dead. Instead, contrary to the film, it seems to have been Marcus's intention that his son Commodus should succeed him, as Commodus had been proclaimed joint emperor (co-Augustus) three years before Marcus died.
*The extent of senatorial opposition to Commodus is much overplayed. Such danger as he was in tended to come from individual senators who were related to him and had a claim on the throne, not the Senate as a body. Dio Cassius, who was a senator during Commodus's reign, makes clear that though they might resent and mock him, the Senate was entirely supine and cowed. Commodus' chamberlains Saoterus and Cleander, and the Praetorian Prefect Perennis, none of whom appear in the film, actually ran the empire on his behalf.

*Senator Gracchus appears to be based upon Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus. These two brothers were champions of the common people; however, they were both plebeian tribunes not senators and both were murdered by their opponents...the Senate.
*While Commodus was indeed killed by a professional fighter, it was by a wrestler named Narcissus, not a gladiator.cite web|title=GLADIATOR: THE REAL STORY|author=|url=http://www.exovedate.com/the_real_gladiator_one.html|publisher=|date=|accessdate=2008-06-17] cite web|title=Commodus|author=|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9024967/Commodus|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online|date=|accessdate=2008-06-17] His death did not occur in the Colosseum, but he was strangled while bathing. In the original "Gladiator" script the name of the main character was "Narcissus" not "Maximus" Fact|date=October 2008.
*The film portrays the gladiatorial fights as having been temporarily banned by Marcus Aurelius during his reign. Historically, however, Aurelius allowed them to continue and even supported legislation to guarantee the survival of the gladiatorial games in hard economic times. [cite web|title= Movie Nitpick: Gladiator |url=http://www.nitpickers.com/movies/nitpick.cgi?np=16551|publisher=The Nitpickers Site |accessdate=2008-06-17]
*The emperor indicates the fate of a gladiator by showing thumbs up or thumbs down, which is a common misconception, as there is no historical evidence for this interpretation. Some scholars Fact|date=October 2008 contend that the actual sign was thumbs up for death (meaning to send the gladiator to the gods), and thumb in fist (like a sheathed dagger) or thumbs down (to indicate sticking the swords point in the ground) if the gladiator was to live.

*Scott received considerable criticism for having a female gladiator in the film. Nevertheless, according to the ancient sources, they did in fact exist.

*Maximus is shown with S.P.Q.R. tattooed on his shoulder which he removes. The identification tattoos Roman soldiers were required to wear by law were actually on their hands in order to make it difficult to hide if they deserted. By law, Gladiators likewise were tattooed, but on the face, legs and arms until emperor Constantine (ca. 325 AD) banned tattooing the face. The Latin word for "tattoo" was stigma hence our word “stigmatise”.
*Maximus only fights Gladiators he does not know during the various games. This depiction is unusual as it was the normal practice outside of rare special events for gladiators to fight only those they trained with from their own school.

*Gladiatorial combats were accompanied by musicians who altered their tempo to match that of the combat in the style now familiar with music in action movies.

*Like today’s athletes, gladiators did product endorsements. Particularly successful gladiators (such as Maximus) would endorse goods in the arena before commencing a fight and have their names promoting products on the Roman equivalent of billboards. [ [http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/035/035289p1.html Not Such a Wonderful Life: A Look at History in Gladiator] IGN movies February 10, 2000] Although originally included in the script, this practice was later rejected as not a fact the audience would believe.
*In the movie, the Colosseum is referred to by that name; in truth during the Roman Empire it was known as the Flavian Amphitheatre.cite web|title=Ancient Roman Architecture|author=|url=http://www.crystalinks.com/romearchitecture.html|publisher=|date=|accessdate=2008-06-17] After visiting the Colosseum, Ridley Scott thought it was too small so the one in the film is larger than the real Colosseum.

*Rome was not called Rome during the twelve year reign of Commodus. Rome was renamed Colonia Commodiana or the "Colony of Commodus". [ [http://www.roman-emperors.org/commod.htm#N_13_ Commodus (A.D. 180-192)] Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors]
*Zucchabar is falsely introduced as the name of a Roman province. It is actually a city in the province Mauretania Caesariensis.

*Maximus is captured by Arabs. An African prisoner advises Maximus, "If you die, the Arabs will feed you to the lions." An Arab slave caravan is depicted and they sell captives to be used as gladiators. In fact there is no historical record of any Arab slavers trading in spain between 180AD and 1483AD. Arabs did participate in the games as gladiators but none were shown in the movie. In reply to complaints about the Arab and Muslim Stereotypes shown in the movie, Harvard Universitys Kathleen Coleman, an authority on Roman history who served as a consultant for the movie, stated that after seeing the movies preview: "I was unpleasantly surprised (to see how Arabs were negatively portrayed). DreamWorks wanted the atmosphere to be authentic. But that is evidently not the case." Coleman later asked not to be mentioned in the credits.
*Statues and busts were never plain white as depicted in films and seen in museums. They were all brightly coloured as can be seen in these reproductions of well known sculptures in their original colours displayed alongside the originals [http://www.nyborg-gym.dk/uv/oldtidskundskab/classicolor/index.html here] .

Military

*Stirrups can be seen used on some of the Roman cavalry, but while they were invented in Asia during the Roman Empire period, the Romans never adopted them. They are used in the movie for obvious safety reasons, a proper Roman saddle being difficult to ride. [cite web|title= Movie Nitpick: Gladiator |url=http://www.nitpickers.com/movies/nitpick.cgi?np=16281|publisher=The Nitpickers Site |accessdate=2008-06-17]

*Roman cavalry horses were what we today call small ponies, typically 11 to 12 hands in height (1 hand = 4") and much smaller than the modern horses (15 hands) used in the film. In Roman Britain the Cavalry did use the larger native Fell Pony (13 hands) and some large breeds up to 14 hands could have been used although these were generally reserved for chariot racing which made them too valuable to use in battle. Cavalry horses were not bred to be larger until 1000 years later than the movie's timeframe.

*Without stirrups and due to the small size of the horses of the day the Roman cavalry did not often charge the enemy as is shown in the film and as became modern practice. They would either ride to where they were needed and then dismount to fight on foot or were used to run down a routed enemy. Livy (59 BC – AD 17) recounts this use of dismounted cavalry in many Roman battles. Cavalry also dismounted to fight enemy cavalry. During the Battle of Asculum (279 BC) the Roman cavalry charged the enemy cavalry, dismounted to fight them, then remounted and charged another part of the line. This tactic also happened at Cannae and Ilipa. [ [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=lZxZ8KHzRFAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Cavalry+of+the+Roman+Republic&sig=ACfU3U0jH_30kF7Ets-ZNt654Qy2Z63Kvg The Cavalry of the Roman Republic] Jeremiah B. McCall Pg 69]
*The forest of the opening battle would not have appeared in Roman times as it does on film. The scenes were shot at a managed spruce forest near Farnham in England.cite web|title=Gladiator Production Notes|author=|url=http://www.searchmalta.com/reviews/movie_gladiator.shtml|publisher=|date=|accessdate=2008-06-17] Since modern forestry was not applied in Europe before roughly the 16th century, a forest consisting of a single species of tree (a monoculture) would have been a unlikely sight in Germania in AD 180.

References