Film Analysis: THe Gladiator

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The Gladiator is a story of a soldier from Rome who became a slave. He is trained as a gladiator and escalated to challenge the empire. The Roman soldier is Spartacus. The Gladiator movie is set about 250 years after his death. The gladiator of the title is Russell Crowe who channels manliness for two and a half hours as Maximus. The film Gladiator (2000) is directed by Ridley Scott who was trying to portray the culture of Romans more accurately. However, there were some divergences from historical facts to enhance interest, to preserve narrative continuity, and for safety or practical reasons.
The unbeaten gladiators were the movie stars. They were famous and consequently free men lined up to try their chance on the ground. The brutal and bloody gladiatorial contests are seen as the murky side of Roman civilization. These contests belonged to sophisticated and civilized society which makes it surprising and strange. (Stephen & McBride, 2000) Public violence had been the preferred entertainment for centuries in the Roman history. This practice began as a funeral ritual. This ritual was adapted over time. Historians have strained in explaining how such a civilized country could be keen on watching women fight to the death and men.
The film states that Rome was founded as a Republic. However, Rome was first established in 753 BC as an elective Monarchy. It later in the year 509 BC became a Republic.
The film also states that the Senate of Rome was elected amongst the people to speak for the people. In reality, however, it was never a chosen body, not like the ‘four People's Assemblies’. The members were chosen by the high magistrate and later on by the emperor. (Winkler & Martin, 2004) This was during the Republic and only after se...

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...n for Rome were accurate, but his death is the problem. The movie was visually realistic than its historical accuracy. The attitude of Rome and that of characters for the games were well portrayed. Generally, I think that this would be the film to watch for someone who wanted to see gladiatorial games, but for historical accuracy of the monarchs that ruled at that time it would never be the movie.
References
David S. Potter and David J. M. (2010), "Entertainers in the Roman Empire," chap. 8 in Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman World, eds University of Michigan Press.
Stephen W. & A. McBride,(2000). Gladiators: 100 BC – AD 200, Oxford, United Kingdom, Stanford: Stanford University Press
Ward & Allen.,(2001). The Movie: Gladiator in Historical Perspective". London: Sage
Winkler & Martin M., (2004). Gladiator: film and history. Cambridge: Polity Press

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