Warning! SPOILERS ahead for Gladiator II.
A Roman culture expert has revealed a key missing detail about one of the main antagonists inGladiator2. The follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winningGladiator(2000), introduces twin emperors, Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), as they rule over Rome with a thirst for blood and conquest. The twins are in direct opposition to Lucius (Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus, who returns to Rome to challenge the emperors' corrupt rule in the gladiator arena once again.
In an interview withPeople,Roman historian Shadi Bartsch affirmed thatGladiator 2takes some liberties in its depiction of emperor Carcalla’s ailment. Emperor Caracalla is depicted as particularly unstable and violent. His brother Geta, in a conversation with the opportunistic arms dealer Macrinus (Denzel Washington), suggests that syphilis is the reason for Caracalla’s erratic behavior. Bartsch commented on the potential for an important visual cue, saying:
If [Caracalla] were an advanced syphilitic,his nose tip would be black.
A Plot Device Or Depiction Of Real Life?
Ridley Scott’s firstGladiatorfaced various questions concerning its historical accuracy, andGladiator 2is no different.Emperors Geta and Caracallawere inspired by real Roman Emperors who ruled over ancient Rome together as young brothers in a fierce rivalry that can be found in real life and Scott’s historical epic. Syphilis, which is known to cause irreparable damage to the brain, especially without medical care,provides context for Caracalla’s instability and increasingly violent tendencies in the movie. Yet, even his erratic behavior isn’t entirely historically sound—the decision to name his pet monkey consul was inspired by the real-life Emperor Caligula and his horse.
The Gladiator Doctor Explained: How Accurate Ravi Is
Ravi, the gladiator doctor in Gladiator II, is loosely based on real-life physicians of Ancient Rome and inspired by the prolific practices of Galen.
Furthermore, there’s stillsome debate among historians about whether syphilis was present in ancient Rome. The first outbreak of syphilis was recorded in Europe around the late 15th century, at least a thousand years after the rule of Caracalla and Geta. Nonetheless,Geta and Caracalla’s dual reignwas indeed marked by a period of suspicion and betrayal preceding its violent conclusion. In the film and real life, Caracalla succeeds in taking over the throne from his brother by killing him and is eventually assassinated under the orders of Macrinus.
Our Take on Caracalla’s Syphili
Bridging The Gap Between Entertainment And Accuracy
The depiction of Emperor Caracalla as unstable and erratic due to syphilis builds the rising tension between him and Geta without having to bridge the gap between Roman history and common knowledge. While the illness serves as an important narrative device,Gladiator 2’s focus on Caracalla as a spoiled aristocrat with a corroding brain diverges from the real Caracalla’s militaristic and pragmatic background. The decision mirrorsGladiator’s ongoing narrative conflict between corrupt rulers andvirtuous challengers like Lucius, offering an interesting look at the dissonance betweenGladiator 2’s cinematic themes and its real, historical roots.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
