Who doesn’t remember Russell Crowe as Maximus, the strong, loyal general who becomes a gladiator and sacrifices himself to free Rome from the tyranny of Commodus, interpreted by the handsomest Joaquin Phoenix to have appeared on the big screen?

Historically speaking, the movie was not particularly accurate, but it was entertaining, well acted and with a great music score. It also had the merit to bring back to the cinema the epic “sword and sandals” genre of 1950s colossals, who had made Cinecittà known all over the world. It also gave a little insight into the lives of Rome’s own arena fighters, gladiators: often relegated in history books to little more than a colorful side note, these men (and, we will see, women) were in many a way mirrors of the society they fought to entertain.