Was the story of Maximus in ‘Gladiator’ possible? Rudis, the wooden sword that granted freedom to slaves

Both ‘Gladiator’ and its upcoming sequel, ‘Gladiator 2′, are set in a specific era of the Roman Empire. The original story takes place during the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius and throughout the reign of Commodus, who lasted twelve years on the throne. Caesar was murdered, although in Ridley Scott’s film, they took their license and changed the circumstances of his death. For a start, Maximus Decimus Meridius is a fictional character: a respected general, chosen successor to the throne by Marcus Aurelius himself, betrayed by Commodus, and condemned to slavery in the arena. Every good story has overtones of reality and authenticity, but the film starring Russell Crowe portrays an idealized image of the Roman Empire.

In the same way as some fiction based on the historical character of Spartacus, Ridley Scott’s feature film prioritizes spectacle over the reality of the sources. After all, we are looking at an entertainment product, something that the director himself has emphasized on many occasions, also during the promotion of his most recent feature film, ‘Napoleon’. In the case of Maximus, the general was demoted and sold as a slave to a Lanista (a trainer of gladiators), who took him from show to show., from deathmatch to deathmatch. The film outlines a story of revenge that has parallels with that of Spartacus, in the sense that the protagonist takes advantage of his status as a gladiator to challenge the Empire. The ultimate goal is the same (revenge), although Maximus does not want to overthrow the Romans, but rather end the emperor’s life.

An altered image of Gladiator fights

‘Gladiator’ portrays the rawest and bloodiest gladiator fights possible. The public, enraged, cries for the lives of the gladiators and Emperor Commodus points the thumb of his hand up or down, depending on whether the spectators ask for mercy or death. Of course, this topical portrait has permeated the collective imagination, even though it is not entirely real.

It existed, yes, but it was an impractical solution because in the large coliseums, it was impossible to see the gesture of a person in a box. It must be taken into account that the lanistas invested a large sum of money in their gladiators, since they had to pay for their food, training, and equipment. Furthermore, in the film, they are treated badly and are completely dependent on their master, while in reality they were paid a salary that came from sponsors’ money.

Since the sponsors rented the gladiators, if they died they had to pay a sum of money as if it were a sale, a payment that was about 25 times more expensive than the rent. Taking all these aspects into account, the death of gladiators in the arena was not profitable by any means, so it did not usually happen. Many battles ended when the fighter surrendered or lost his weapons. If death did occur, it was often due to infection of a wound. more than a death in the middle of battle. In ‘Gladiator’, almost all the losers end up perishing in the coliseum. Meanwhile, Maximus is gaining fame until he finally catches the attention of Commodus himself, his main objective.

Freedom, these were the two ways to obtain it

Gladiators could obtain freedom in two different ways: since they earned a salary, when the time came they had the opportunity to buy it. If they succeeded in the games, after winning a good number of battles they could receive a wooden sword known as a rudis, a prize that demonstrated that they had achieved freedom through their skill as gladiators.

Emperor Commodus fought as a gladiator in the arena, but he was not killed by a slave warrior like Maximus Decimus Meridius. In the history of Ancient Rome, there are many Caesars who succumbed to madness and tyranny. They were also murdered in unimperial situations, as decadent as their lives: for example, Caligula succumbed on the way to his private baths, when the conspirators surprised him and treated him to a dance of bloody slashes. By the time the guard arrived, young Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was already lying with more holes than a block of Gruyere cheese.

‘Gladiator 2′ premieres on November 22 only in theaters and is set about 20 years after the original film, without Russell Crowe in the role of Maximus. In the sequel, Lucio Vero (Paul Mescal) —a character from the first movie—, will put on gladiator armor to fight in the arena. The story will take place during the reign of Caracalla, another of the emperors who have survived to this day with a more than questionable fame.

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