The Man in the Iron Boat
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Gladiator: Fact or Fiction
The story of Gladiator takes place in Ancient Rome and contains intense action, great acting, and fantastic storytelling. Although most of this action drama is mostly fictitious, some certain events and characters appear in the history books.
The movie starts out with an opening battle between the well-equipped Roman army and a Germanic tribe defending their lands. Russell Crowe is the main character in the movie and he plays a roman general named Maximus. Maximus is a good hearted warrior with valor and honor that is constantly displayed in the epic. He is loved by the roman people and the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Roman army led by General Maximus defeats the ragged Germans in the opening scene. After a successful march through Germany, Maximus has a meeting with the emperor. The emperor tells the general that Maximus will rule Rome after Emperor Aureliuss death instead of Aurelius son Commodus. Maximus being a humble gracious man is shocked that a common general could rule Rome. Commodus kills his father in anger and believes he has been betrayed by his father. He then orders the death of Maximus and his family in his rage.
Although this storyline is very entertaining it isnt very factual. There were emperors named Marcus Aurelius and Commodus but as for the general Maximus, no such character exists. Aurelius, during his reign from 161-180 a.d., conquered many regions and countries. Under his vision, the Roman army defeated the Parthians and also defeated the Barbarians in the Marcomannic Wars. The Emperor Aurelius was not murdered by his son and serves as co-emperor for the last three years of his life with Commodus. Many scholars believe that Aurelius was one of the greatest emperors of Roman history. He often showed compassion and other great traits of a leader. His son, however, did not share his leadership abilities. Commodus ruled from 180-192 a.d. Aurelius had many peace treaties in the latter part of his rule that his son violated and continued to increase Roman territory. Commodus has been rumored to have been insane and maybe thats why he loved the Gladiator games so much. The gladiator games were when men dressed in warrior outfits fought each other until one died. There were also games in which wild animals were placed with men. Commodus was so obsessed with these games that he even participated with these gladiators. He would be fully armored and the other man would have wooden weapons making it impossible for the other man to win.
The movie continues with a failed attempt to assassinate Maximus. Maximus kills the execution squad and flees to save his family. He finds his family has been killed and hung there swaying in the breeze. He gives up hope for life and lays by his decease family until he is taken as a slave for the business man Proximo. He was traded as a slave and was trained to be a gladiator. No one knew of his real identity and was just known as the Spaniard due to everyone thinking he was a Spanish army deserter. He fought valiantly and again the people of Rome loved him. This time however he won their affecting because of killing his fellow man and not of increasing the real estate of Rome. He even became loved by the nephew of Commodus, Lucius, and this angered the emperor. Lucius was the son of the daughter of Aurelius, Lucilla. Throughout the course of the movie there is a sexual tension between the Emperors sister and Maximus.
The movie continues with a failed attempt to break Maximus out of his slave hood.