Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus from Gladiator Commodus’ death in Gladiator was actually way worse in real life, as he suffered an entirely different fate. As one of the best gladiator films, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator earned $465.4 million at the box office. The movie was positively received when it was released and has an 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with Russell Crowe’s performance as Maximus launching a legacy for the actor, and Joaquin Phoenix also being well-received as Gladiator’s antagonist, Commodus. Furthermore, the success of Gladiator has spawned a sequel titled Gladiator 2 which is set for release in November, 24 years since the first film’s release.

Gladiator follows the lives of the real General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) as he is hunted down and sold into slavery by Commodus (Phoenix), the patricidal jealous son of the emperor, where Maximus vows to get revenge on Commodus for the murder of his wife and son. However, although it is a historical epic film that is based on real life events, Gladiator does contain some historical inaccuracies. One particular inaccuracy surrounds Commodus’ death at the end of the film because, while the Roman emperor was murdered in real life, Commodus’ death was actually much worse than depicted in Gladiator.

Commodus Was Poisoned And Strangled In Real Life

His Death Was More Political Than Gladiator Depicted

Emperor Commodus looking angry in Gladiator in arena

Commodus was a real Roman emperor who ruled from 177AD until his brutal murder in 192AD, in which he was poisoned and then strangled. During his reign, Commodus often presented megalomaniac tendencies, asking people to depict him in God-like ways. Shortly before his murder, his supposed mistress, Marcia, found a list stating the names of people that Commodus wanted killed. Discovering that she was on the hit list, Marcia plotted Commodus’ assassination alongside three others. They first poisoned his food, which he vomited up, and when that failed, they sent his wrestling partner, Narcissus, to strangle him in the bath.

The real life Roman emperor was murdered due to his political ineptitude and growing megalomania which was starting to affect those around him.

However, in Gladiator, Commodus’ death was much more emotional. The real-life Roman emperor was murdered due to his political ineptitude and growing megalomania, which was starting to affect those around him. Although Commodus’ death was changed, the movie touched on this by including the betrayal of his men. Gladiator’s ending includes the betrayal of the Praetorian Guard, who are supposed to protect the emperor, but instead stand down in order to let Commodus be killed. This was somewhat reflective of actual historical events, as the Praetorians have been involved in the murder of a number of Roman emperors.

Gladiator’s Changed Commodus Death Makes More Sense For The Movie

The Change Allows Closure For Maximus

Russel Crowe as Maximus in Gladiator and Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator 2Custom image by Sean Morrison

However, in Gladiator, Commodus’ death was changed from an assassination plot to a revenge mission by Maximus. It made sense to change his death in the movie, as Gladiator depicts Commodus as a vengeful and cunning villain who has a personal vendetta on Maximus for being chosen as his father’s successor. Instead of a botched assassination plot, it makes more sense for the Gladiator movie to end with Maximus finally getting revenge for the murder of his family because it provides Gladiator with an epic and emotional finale which outdoes the detached real-life assassination that would not have provided closure.