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... ... middle of paper ... ...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
The author of Gladiator uses sequence to organize his ideas and tells about events in the order they happened, which helps readers understand what brought about the beginning and end of the gladiator tradition in Rome. Usually, history is best written with events in the order they occurred. Imagine reading about a handful of events with dates ranging from 264 b.c. to a.d. 404 out of order.
In contrast to the publicity spin of today’s tabloids, ‘losers attract notoriety,’ (Fear, 2008, p, 6) Roman society was no different with one’s reputation of paramount importance and continually defended. Antony and Cleopatra’s union was ammunition for Octavian and propaganda used against the couple in their pursuing battle of Actium. (Fear, 2008, p.7.)
Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 19." Forum Romanum. 1901. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
"Gladiator", comes from the latin word "gladius", for sword. They were primarily made up of slaves, criminals, prisoners of war or even volunteer free men. The crimes that could lead one to the arena included treason, robbery, and murder, among others. Some free men became gladiators of their own free will in hopes of gaining notoriety and patronage amongst the wealthy citizens. By the end of 50 BC almost half of the gladiators fighting in the Colosseum were free men.
Stanley Kubick's Spartacus In the 1960 film Spartacus, directed by Stanley Kubrick, the character called Spartacus is depicted as a revolutionary who leads an army of slaves against the oppressive forces of Rome during the first century B.C. Though the overall story is true, and most of the main characters are real, the presentation of their character is entirely fictional. Spartacus and the other characters have been split into groups epitomizing good and evil, and the story itself has been vastly romanticized. This essay will address the ways in which the story deviates from reality and finally will show how Kubrick and those before him have used such interpretations as a valuable tool for social change.
After its debut in America on May 5th of 2000, the movie Gladiator has been a nationwide symbol of heroism(Imdb). The film was directed by Ridley Scott and the lead roles of the film were carried out by Russell Crowe as Maximus and Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus(Imdb). The movie takes place during the reign of the Holy Roman Empire in the year 180 A.D. The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, is dying and wishes to leave the Roman Empire under the control of Roman General Maximus Meridius. The Emperor’s son Commodus betrays Maximus, kills his father, and takes control of Rome. In betraying Maximus, Commodus has his family killed. Maximus knowing this returns to Rome as a gladiator under the alias “Spaniard” in search of revenge(Imdb). According to Aristotle, “Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude”(Kwheeler). In order for someone to be considered a tragic hero, the person must meet the criteria of high social status, suffer from a hamartia, face a catastrophe, invoke catharsis, and experience anagnorisis and peripeteia(Kwheeler).
the battle as a haze. The music then begins to go quieter and at this
Dio, Cassius. "Roman History - Book 50." 17 June 2011. University of Chicago. 31 October 2011 .
The Gladiators – History’s Most Deadly Sport. New York: St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books, 2003. Potter, David S. and David J. Mattingly, eds. Life, Death and Entertainment in the Roman Empire. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1998.
The senate was a collective of the state’s best people, by tradition chosen from the aristocracy. Their role was to advise the elected magistrates. In practice, they came to be the collective of former magistrates. Their authority lay in their advice became like orders to serving magistrates. Their authority lay in their prestige and their experience. The roman senate was basically the governing body of men in Rome. It consisted of few hundred members, all who had to have property or money.
This new Republican government, which was administered by the consuls, was not the easiest to transform. Because of the expansion in Italy, the government began to initiate political institutions. These institutions enforced laws and provided authority which were very similar to imperium. “The Romans had a clear concept of executive authority, embodied in their word imperium, or “the right to command” (Spielvogel 117). Since the Romans were very sensible in their actions, they made and implemented them only as needed. The most essential positions held were the few elected magistrates and the two consuls who were “chosen annually, administered the government and led the Roman army into battle” (Spielvogel 117). If the consul was otherwise occupied, either a dictator or praetor would assume responsibility for the time being.
5. Lesley Adkins, Roy A Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, Oxford University Press, 1998. (pg. 304)
" Life of a Gladiator. N.p., n.d. Web. The Web. The Web. 06 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard The "Roman Gladiator" - "The Roman Gladiator" The Roman Gladiator.
“The Romans are often characterized as loving violent and cruel entertainment in the amphitheatre. It has been suggested that the games served the dual purpose of providing entertainment for the people and maintaining the political status quo.”
Gladiator (2000) is an action drama about a Roman general that is betrayed by his country and is forced to fight in the Colosseum. This particular scene, which runs for approximately 5 minutes, is the aftermath of the fight scene between Maximus, the betrayed general, and Commodus, the jealous emperor who betrayed him. This scene is not only significant because it is the concluding scene of the film, but also because it represents the end of Maximus’s enslavement and his coming to peace with dying.