Is The Gladiator A True Story?

Anyone who has witnessed the unfolding of Ridley Scott's magnum opus- Gladiator would most probably have gone through a pendulum of emotions. The movie is a gripping tale of the two central personas- Maximus (played by Russel Crowe) and Commodus (played by Joaquin Phoenix).
Not only do the actors of this historical epic take us back to the Roman era, courtesy of their meticulous acting, but they were also aided by the meticulous movie setting of the movie.

 

Historical Parallels 

Prior to taking a delve into the differences, let's take a peek at some prominent parallels. As a film based on History, it has some obvious similarities with the original characters. Both Commodus and his father Marcus Aurelius were, in fact, real historical characters.
Marcus Aurelius was the famous philosopher emperor, one of the last Roman emperors to have a stronghold over the empire. He was also able to keep the barbarians at bay.
If you think the Commodus, as depicted in the movie, was villainous, well, the historical Commodus was far more callous and crazy.
It is also true that Aurelius was at the war front when he breathed last. Despite only forging a treaty with the German hoards, Commodus returned to Rome with a "Triumph," usually reserved for a triumphant victory on the battlefield. Crazy about Gladiatorial games and shrewd enough to utilize them to his advances, he facilitated these games to distract the populace from his failures and popularize himself among them.

Notable Incoherences

Maximus Decimus Meridius

The most major eye-soaring difference from a historical perspective was Maximus, the main protagonist. There are no records for Maximus in Historical records. Most probably, Scott may have been inspired by Marcus Nonius Macrinus. He was a Roman general and senator. Furthermore, he was also an advisor to Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius, akin to his fictitious self in the film, liked Macrinus. However, the resemblance stops here. Unlike in the movie, wherein Maximus's family was killed and he was enslaved, Macrinus lived a full and successful life.

Commodus

In contrast to what was shown in the movie, the original Commodus most probably didn't require to commit patricide to seize the throne. He was already a co-emperor for three years when his father, Marcus Aurelius, the reigning emperor, took his last breath. In fact, Commodus was also killed by his wrestling partner Narcissus in a bathtub, far from the gladiatorial arena.