The Man In The Iron Boat

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 Aurelius's 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 isn't very factual.   There were emperor's 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 emperor's 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...