Julius Caesar: A Film Analysis Of The Film Gladiator

The film I decided to analyze was that of “Gladiator” (2000). It depicts the death of Marcus Aurelius and his wishes that after he dies, a faithful Roman soldier by the name of Maximus Decimus Meridius take his place as emperor. However, Marcus Aurelius’ son, Commodus, takes matters into his own hands to guarantee that he will be the one to be proclaimed heir and ultimately, Caesar. Although, the film explores the history of Rome by including several historical figures, it is mainly based on a fictional plot. “Gladiator” includes significant figures, however modifying them and their backstories immensely, and presenting the famous gladiator fights of Rome in a way that does not align with historical evidence. The movie decides to explore the Roman historical figure, Marcus Aurelius, and the appointing of his heir that would ultimately be granted the title of Caesar. However, one key …show more content…
The true heir was Commodus, his legitimate son, who historically speaking was appointed by his father and in fact, according to Larsen, “Marcus formally named Commodus his co-emperor in 177 AD, which is a pretty clear statement that Commodus was his intended successor.” Maximus may have been a fictional character, however the other important roles of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus were not, yet many points of their backstories were modified for the film. For one thing Marcus Aurelius “did not die in the middle of nowhere as in the film,” writes Larsen, “he actually died at Vindobona (modern Vienna),” and further suggests that Commodus did not murder him as is portrayed in the film. Commodus’ story or rather his fateful end also appears to have been fabricated for the purpose of the film. “What really happened in AD 193 was that