henrypaget.com

In the first Gladiator movie, the emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius, is killed by his son Commodus so that Commodus can reign over Rome.

When Commodus is lined up for the throne after Marcus’ death, he strikes at Marcus’s general, Maximus.

Commodus kills Maximus’s wife and child and enslaves Maximus.

Maximus gets bought as a slave and fights as a gladiator to attain his freedom.

Maximus does so well that he ends up fighting on the biggest stage of all the Roman Collesaeum

Maximus destroys all his opponents, eventually confronting Commodus and eventually killing him. However, due to an injury inflicted by Commodus’s sword, Maximus dies shortly afterwards, and he is reunited in the afterlife with his wife and child.

I believe this film has two different meanings:

1. The randomness of having a child – Marcus Aurelius was known as one of Rome’s best and most virtuous emperors. If you’ve read Marcus Aurelius’ mediations (his personal diary), you’ll know that he prized virtues such as self-control, courage, justice and honesty. His son Commodus portrayed none of these virtues and was ultimately a degenerate. It’s also worth noting that historically, the film is incorrect regarding Commodus killing Marcus Aurelius (Marcus actually died of natural causes), but what is true is that Commodus certainly was a degenerate and was nothing like Marcus. This shows that no matter how good parents we are, we cannot completely control how our children turn out. For our children to be virtuous people, they need to decide to practice virtue themselves and follow philosophy.
2. Virtue wins over vice. Maximus was a good man. He gave his life to Rome, the emperor, and his family. Commodus was the opposite of this, and ultimately, Maximus overthrew Commodus, and Rome was restored to peace after Commodus’s death. This is the battle between good and evil. And normally, good prevails. Virtue wins over vice, and if we are virtuous people, we will win in life just as the people of Rome won against a degenerate dictator.
3. Note: Maximus was also a fictional character. The film uses a historical backdrop, so it’s important not to take the film literally in a historical sense.