The film Gladiator directed by Ridley Scott is set in Roman times in 180 AD and follows the events in the life of a general named Maximus Decimus Meridius. The conflict arises when the current emperor named Marcus Aurelius has a son, named Commodus, who decides to kill Maximus because he has been named successor. This leads Maximus to become a revered gladiator and begins his journey to seek revenge on Commodus. The main historical events depicted in this film focus on the period in which Marcus Aurelius was emperor and the conflict between the Romans and the barbarians. Gladiator depicts several accurate and inaccurate aspects of Roman life during this period concerning the army, the general history of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus, and the women fighting in the Roman Colosseum. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the movie Gladiator, there are several accurate military aspects portrayed during the various battles and moments where the army is shown. In the opening scene there is a large battle between the Romans and the barbarians. They are shown assuming a distinctive battle formation called a cohort for the duration of the fight. According to Evan Bossio in the project report Historical evolution of Roman infantry weapons and armor 753 BC - 476 AD “A cohort was composed of six centuries, each containing 100 men: 80 infantry and 20 non-combatants'. Each cohort was a specialized unit, completely self-sufficient and equipped with its own weapons. The cohort design allowed for a much more efficient battle, as demonstrated by how quickly they defeat their opponents in the film. Another precision displayed in Gladiator is found in the helmets the characters are shown wearing during the initial battle. In the book Warfare: From Ancient Egypt to Iraq by Saul David, it is stated that the Gallic style of legionary's iron helmet of the late 1st century AD was used in many Roman battles. This helmet was made of copper or iron alloy and had a smooth top that covered the lower neck area. The sides left openings for the ear but had large neck and cheek protectors. Maximus' army and some gladiator characters during the Colosseum fight scenes are shown wearing these helmets. The militaristic aspects shown in Gladiator, such as the Cohorts and helmets worn, are both mostly accurate. By referring to the main battle depicted at the beginning of the film Gladiator, a serious inaccuracy was depicted. Ada Gabucci states in her book Roma that in this period it was customary for music to be played during battle. Three major instruments played during this period were the horn, a wind instrument in which the player gripped the crossbar with the left hand, the bucina, an instrument similar to the horn but made of metal rather than an animal's horn, and the tuba. The horn had no primary purpose in battle, however the horn was often used to indicate orders within camps. The piercing sound of the tuba was thought to signal an attack or retreat or simply to instill fear in the enemy. I believe the reason the producers chose to leave out the instruments was because they wanted viewers to understand that this initial battle wasn't supposed to be the focus of the film. The tools would have made it much more dramatic in the eyes of the viewer and therefore would have focused it more. There is no musicianship or instrumentalist conveyed throughout the entire battle in Gladiator. Marcus Aurelius reigned as emperor from 161to 180 AD and his political actions are carefully depicted in the film. During the first two centuries AD, Germanic tribes continually threatened the Roman Empire from the Rhine and Danube rivers. Initially, Marcus Aurelius attempted to maintain peace by simply "campaigning against the Quadi, Marcomanni, and other tribes along the Danube frontier". However, this did not last long, as history records several defensive battles staged to relieve the pressure on the borders.This is shown accurately in the battle at the beginning of the film where they fight against the Barbarians.It is also evident in the conversation Maximus has with Marcus Aurelius where he reveals that during his reign only four years were peaceful. The way Marcus Aurelius handled conflicts in real life matched the way he was shown in the film. However, Gladiator's depiction of Marcus Aurelius' life is not entirely accurate. Accuracy issues are evident in the manner in which the Gladiator presents the death of the emperor. Commodus is shown killing Marcus Aurelius This was very unlikely to happen as Commodus would have had no reason to do so. In 176 AD, after Faustina's death, Marcus Aurelius formally appointed Commodus as his successor. I believe Commodus was created to be the murderer in the film to add tragedy to his father's death and clearly establish Commodus as the antagonist. During this period there were also many attacks of the Antonine Plague starting around AD 166, with Roman troops returning from Parthia infected with it. In the end it killed around five million people and the emperor was probably the victim instead of being killed at the hands of his son. Overall, details regarding Marcus Aurelius' death and relationship with his son are inaccurately described in Gladiator. The issue of female gladiators is a detail shown in Gladiator that is historically partially correct but not entirely. The scene begins with Maximus and the other gladiators in a battle at the Colosseum against the Barbarian Horde. Among other male counterparts, a lone arrow-shooting gladiator rides in on a chariot pulled by a white horse. This scene is accurate in the sense that women were sometimes trained to fight in the Colosseum because they believed that these women were reincarnations of the Amazons. The problem arises from the fact that the gladiator is riding in a chariot, because “the Romans surprisingly had no interest in seeing women perform as charioteers, an area in which women had a reasonable chance of holding their own against men.” The Romans agreed with the concept of relief at Halicarnassus which essentially meant favoring women who fought other women. Another inaccuracy regarding the female gladiator is found in the fact that she wears a helmet. Women were not allowed to wear helmets during fights so that the public could clearly distinguish their gender. I believe the addition of a gladiator, but the subtraction of the helmet was implemented in the film because the producers assumed that audiences might be confused as to why the gladiator wouldn't be wearing one. Overall, the way Gladiator represents the gladiator is mostly inaccurate but, in essence, it is accurate. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Overall, the movie Gladiator was a movie that I enjoyed. It had a very understandable plot and I found it easy to relate to the characters. I feel the film met my expectations with the depiction of the Roman era around 180 AD. With the limited knowledge I have of that period, the architecture,.