The film Gladiator was released in 2000, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe as General Maximus Decimus Meridius. Maximus was a 2nd century Roman soldier, later enslaved and finally avenged Emperor Commodus in the Flavian Amphitheater as a gladiator. Although it was made over 18 years ago and is full of historical inaccuracies, the film still remains highly watchable and entertaining, while still bringing a very real historical setting to life and vividly reconstructing Roman culture at its height. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Gladiator is a historical blockbuster that offers both the soldier's and gladiator's perspectives of Roman politics, warfare, culture, and more specifically amphitheater entertainment. The film follows the life of Maximus, a general highly regarded by both his troops and the emperor Marcus Aurelius. At the beginning the viewer is exposed to the brutality and well-organized tactics of Roman warfare. In recognition of his honor, courage, and loyalty in the wars against the barbarian tribes of Germany, Marcus declares Maximus his heir. Commodus, son of Marcus, who wants to become emperor himself, orders the death of Maximus. The political intrigues with their dangerous consequences in Roman times are experienced firsthand by the hero of the film. Although Maximus manages to escape, he ends up enslaved and forced to train as a gladiator. Maximus travels to Rome to compete in the gladiatorial games sponsored by the new emperor Commodus. It is in the Colosseum that Maximus can finally take revenge on Commodus for the killing of his wife and son. The viewer is immersed in the atmosphere of the gladiators of the Colosseum with all its glory, bloodshed, brutality and horror. It is this exposure of the viewer to the Roman world of intrigue, war, culture, psychology and epic gladiatorial games that best exemplifies the film's strength. No documentary could ever capture the setting as well as a multi-million dollar Hollywood film, it would simply lack the budget. Gladiator proved to be an impressive achievement in the reconstruction of the golden age of the Roman Empire. With five Academy Awards, including the Best Picture Oscar and Best Actor for Russell Crowe, it is a testament to its entertainment value and is still a must-see for history buffs. However, the film is not a faithful representation of historical facts and therein lies its weakness. Although some characters, such as Marcus Aurelius, his son Commodus, and daughter Lucilla are real, the film's main character, Maximus, is not, although he is likely inspired by famous historical commanders. Furthermore, it certainly cannot be considered a learning tool for historical events, as the chronology and accuracy are imperfect. For example, Commodus ruled for 12 years, but in the film it seems like a matter of months and Marcus definitely wanted Commodus as his successor and they were actually co-rulers for several years. However, despite the inaccuracies, the film still manages to emerge and involve the viewer in a very real and relevant historical context. The historical reliability of the film is questionable, however, as Ridley Scott stated, he did not attempt to make a documentary. As previously identified, Marcus Aurelius would never appoint a general as his successor. He always wanted Commodus to be his heir, although some historical writings point to the fact that Marcus Aurelius may have had doubts about Commodus' suitability. Commodus was even more vengeful and neurotic than depicted in the film, so much so that he renamed the months.