In 1500 BCE, a tribe of Latins moved into Italy along the Tiber River, and eventually founded the city of Rome. Rome had a city-state government and, in 753 BC, was invaded by the Etruscans. The Etruscans built buildings, roads, and city walls; and thus transformed Rome into one of the most powerful cities in the Mediterranean. In general, Roman gladiators were condemned criminals, prisoners of war, or slaves bought for the purpose of gladiatorial combat. Professional gladiators were free men who volunteered to participate in the games. The movie "Gladiator," directed by Ridley Scott in the year 2000, is a movie about classical Rome that is riddled with historical inaccuracies. The plot of this movie portrays a Roman general, having been sentenced to die for not supporting the new emperor, escaping and then seeking out revenge upon the corrupt ruler. Characters that did not exist, battles that never occurred, and frequent misapprehensions about the Roman government and gladiators are found throughout the movie "Gladiator," a movie that, although entertaining, is overflowing with historical inaccuracies.
             In the movie "Gladiator," many characters are made-up, and if they were once real, were completely changed to help the plot of the movie and make it more entertaining for the public. The overlooking of much historical material on Commodus, one of the main characters and a man who actually existed in the classical Roman era, is a mainstay in this movie. One accuracy about Commodus was that he was enthralled with shows of beast hunting, chariot racing, and gladiatorial combat; he even trained himself in those skills and eventually fought in the public arena as a gladiator. Except for his documented love of the games, there is not much that is historical about "Gladiator's" portrayal of Commodus. In the movie he seems to be in his mid-to-late twenties with dark hair, when in all actuality, ...