How Accurate Were the Fight Scenes in Gladiator?

Ridley Scott’s epic blockbuster Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe, is a masterpiece of cinema. It has engaging characters, excellent cinematography, and an epic musical score that rightly deserves a place in the history of the silver screen. However, the principal attractions of the film are the riveting fight scenes against barbarian hordes and gladiatorial matches in the Colosseum. But how accurate are these scenes? Are they true to the actual history, or are they more spectacle than substance?

The opening scene of Gladiator, set at the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius, is the pitched Battle of Vindobona. It pits the Roman legions commanded by General Maximus against a horde of Germanic barbarians. Historically, Vindobona was a Roman military encampment in what is currently Vienna. There was no historic battle at this location, but the overall conflict did take place during the Marcomannic Wars, which pitted the Romans against a confederation of Germanic and Sarmatian tribes between 166 and 180 CE. Rome had already reached the extent of its territorial expansion and fought this war to hold on to their northern borders.

At first glance, the Roman military in the film appears quite good. They are armed and equipped with the heavy armor of lorica segmentata, which is made from bands of overlapping metal segments. It is unknown how extensive the use of this type of armor was, but its inclusion in the film is not inaccurate. It is also possible that the Romans would be protected by lorica hamata, or chain mail, which can be seen worn by some of the archers.

The other equipment is also relatively accurate, with emphasis on the uniformity of the Romans, which gives a sense of professionalism and order compared to the chaotic barbarians. One inaccuracy, however, is the Roman officers, specifically the centurions, who led the advance against the Germanic horde. Like all officers in the film, their helmets have crests to distinguish them from the lower ranks. However, a centurion’s crest was traversed rather than front to back, as was the case with higher-level officers.

It’s much harder to accurately assess the appearance of the German army, since primary sources are scarce. What is known is that they were not as well armed or equipped as their Roman adversaries, though they were by no means a rabble of unruly primitives that the movie suggests. The amount of armor used by the tribes is debatable, though certainly, the chieftains and those of higher social status would have access to chain mail. They would also have used plundered Roman equipment acquired during the 14-year-long conflict.

It is also reasonable to assume that the Germanic tribesmen would have used large oblong shields and spears, fighting in shield wall formations that bristled with spear points. They would not have had the discipline or uniformity of their Roman adversaries, but they would hardly have been the horde depicted in the film. Some of the Germans also wear horned helmets, which are not historical at all and have their origins in 19th-century operas.

This was probably a deliberate storytelling element by the filmmakers. Having the barbarians using captured Roman gear would have made telling the two sides apart that much more difficult for the viewer. More importantly, the differences in equipment, tactics, and organization play up the civilized vs savage trope common in media.

Preparations for Battle 

The film begins with General Maximus noticing a bird perched on a dead branch, which has a surprising historical parallel. The Romans were highly superstitious, especially before an impending battle. They were constantly on the lookout for portents from the gods, including noting the pattern of birds in flight. The scene then cuts to the general inspecting the Roman positions as the final preparations are taking place, including a large number of ballistas and catapults. This is the first inaccuracy.

The Romans did make extensive use of siege artillery, which was a vital part of their military arsenal. They were used to capture cities and fortresses and could be wielded with devastating effect. However, they were very cumbersome and could take hours to set up, and aiming and adjusting the range was a laborious task. This was fine against large, stationary targets like a city’s walls or towers, but useless against mobile formations of troops in the field, who would simply move out of the way if bracketed by a siege engine.

After the return of the headless Roman messenger, the Germans emerge from the trees, their willingness to fight apparent. They begin with their war cry, banging their weapons on their shields. This is accurate, though an interesting note is that the soundtrack for the war chant was lifted directly from the 1964 film Zulu, added as an homage to that classic movie. Historically, the Germans would have performed the Barritus, a war cry that started as a low hum that gradually increased in volume, the shields of the warriors amplifying the sound until the battlefield echoed with their chant. Later in Rome’s history, Rome adopted this practice due to the influx of Germanic troops into its armies.

After a few more preparations, including a rousing speech, Maximus signals his men to “unleash hell.” Moments later, the artillery and ranks of archers opened up on the Germans, striking with a barrage of incendiary projectiles. This is not something that would have been done for a number of reasons. Fire arrows and other projectiles would not have been used historically, at least not in this context. If used at all, they would have been utilized to set buildings on fire during a siege, but a normal unlit arrow would have been more effective against troops in the field. They were probably added for a combination of the visual spectacle and because they resemble tracer rounds in modern firearms, which makes seeing them on film easier.

The Romans in the film also placed much more emphasis on archers than they would have done historically. Archers were used by the Romans, but those men would be auxiliaries, non-citizen soldiers who fought for Rome, and would have been much fewer in number. They would also have used slingers, which are absent from the film. They would have been used in a skirmisher role, advancing ahead of the main body of troops to break up the enemy formation.

The Opening Battle: Infantry vs Cavalry

With the Germans in fiery disarray, the order to advance is given while Maximus leads his cavalry on a flanking charge. The first issue with this is the cavalry. Like the archers, the cavalry was primarily made up of auxiliaries, in this case, made up of German or Gallic troops. They would be posted on the flanks of the army and were used for scouting and to threaten the enemy flanks. They made up a small number of Rome’s total strength. Furthermore, historically, the Germans had a cavalry advantage over the Romans, though, in the film, they don’t have a single horseman. Another inaccuracy is the use of stirrups, which had not been invented yet, though this is an understandable anachronism given the safety concerns of riding a horse without stirrups.

The Roman infantry then began their advance. This is the key to Rome’s success: a steady push by heavy infantry in disciplined formations. They move in strict lines overseen by their centurions who lead from the front. The only nitpick with their formation is that they should be advancing in formations three ranks deep, not two. They are then shot at by German archers and adopt the famous testudo, or tortoise formation, with the front ranks closing their shields and the rear ranks holding theirs above their heads to form a roof. The Romans did adopt this formation, though it was almost exclusively used when assaulting enemy fortifications. In an open-field battle, the testudo limits mobility and vision, leaving infantry vulnerable in close-quarter fighting. If attacked by enemy archers at this range, they would maintain their line formations and simply raise their shields as they closed the distance.

At this point the Germans, worked up into a battle frenzy, charge into the Romans in a disorganized mass. The Romans receive the charge, and almost immediately after both armies meet, the entire scene descends into a swirling melee without any order. We are soon joined by Maximus and his cavalry, who only add to the confusion. In reality, the Romans were as successful as they were by maintaining strict discipline and keeping in formation during even the most brutal and chaotic battles. It was this disciplined approach to warfare that allowed the Romans to dominate even when outnumbered or otherwise outmatched.

Likewise, the Germans would have been in formation, and while they would not have been as disciplined as the Romans, they would have formed a shield wall with bristling spear points. Staying in line was vital to survival on a battlefield, and rushing in a disorganized mass was tantamount to a death sentence. They may even have waited in place and allowed the Romans to come to them, which would maintain their lines, but would be much less spectacular to watch on film.

The Romans also display some Hollywood tactics, not throwing their pilum. These were specially designed javelins with a long iron shaft and a heavy wooden handle. Each legionary would have two, throwing them as they closed the distance with the enemy. The narrow iron shaft would puncture shields and armor, and the weight of the wooden handle would cause the metal to bend, causing it to become stuck in the enemy’s shield. Because of the bent shaft, it could not be removed, forcing the warrior to choose between fighting with an unwieldy pilum in their shield, weighing it down, or discarding the shield altogether. In the film, the legionaries do not throw their pilum; instead, they use them as ineffectual spears and receive the German charge with their gladius still in their sheaths.

Overall, the opening battle is visually spectacular but historically leaves much to be desired.

After betrayal by the emperor Commodus, Maximus is forced into slavery and becomes a gladiator, fighting in several provincial shows before finally competing in the Colosseum, more accurately called the Flavian Amphitheater. Once in Rome, the first major fight was a reenactment of the battle of Zama, a legendary victory against Rome’s most hated enemy, the Carthaginians. This is actually historically true. The Colosseum would commonly host reenactments of Rome’s past battles and mythological battles in the same way that people today will watch a historical epic. On several occasions, the Colosseum was flooded and a mock naval battle, a Naumachia, took place.

In the next fight, Maximus is pitted against a retired gladiator in a one-on-one match, which ends with Maximus sparing his opponent’s life. This is also accurate. Contrary to popular belief, most gladiatorial matches did not end in the death of one of the combatants. More often than not, mercy was shown, and the gladiator would live to fight another day. Training someone to be a gladiator was a time-consuming and expensive process, and it was economically unfeasible to lose a trained fighter at the end of each match. Over their careers, fighters would rack up win and loss records, which the citizens of Rome would analyze and compare. Each gladiator had their own supporters and fans, no different from modern boxers or MMA fighters.

During that fight, Maximus is ambushed by tigers, which leap out from trap doors hidden in the Colosseum’s sand. This is also historically accurate. The wooden floor of the Colosseum did have trap doors, and the underbelly of the amphitheater had a maze of corridors leading to lifts and ramps. These can be used for dramatic effect, with doors opening to reveal wild animals, other gladiators, props, or whatever else the editor of the games thought would be appreciated by the audience.

What was lacking from the film’s gladiatorial matches were the diverse types of gladiators the Romans utilized. Rather than generic warriors, there were different gladiatorial types, each with their own weapons and fighting style. Some were exaggerated versions of foes the Romans faced on the battlefield, such as the Samnite, the Thraex or Thracian, or the Hoplomachus, a stylized version of the Greek hoplite. Others included the Murmillo and the net-wielding Retiarius. Each would be trained for a specific fighting style and would be paired off against one another. For example, the Murmillo, who was more heavily armored with a large shield and a gladius short sword, was often pitted against the Thraex, who carried the curved sica sword and small shield but was much more mobile.

One final inaccuracy is the emperor Commodus. The film shows his obsession with gladiatorial games, which culminates in the final fight in the arena between himself and Maximus. If anything, this downplays the emperor’s participation. Commodus was not only a fan of gladiatorial matches but scandalized Rome by actively participating in them. He routinely fought in the Colosseum, his opponents fighting with dull weapons to prevent any injury to the emperor. He routinely fought wild animals, shooting them with a bow. Commodus claimed that he was the reincarnation of Hercules and used his victories in the games as proof of his fighting prowess.

His death in the arena is not only historically inaccurate, but also out of character. He would never place himself in a position to be killed by an opponent. Further, while this never happened historically, should he actually be threatened with death or serious injury in the arena, the match would have been called off, and the praetorian guards would have no doubt dispatched the gladiator in question.

Overall, while the film Gladiator is a masterpiece of cinema, rightly deserving a place as one of the great epic movies of all time, the historical accuracy, including the fight scenes, have grains of truth that are buried under cinematic spectacle.