Warning: the following text contains some SPOILERS for Gladiator II!A historian is pointing out a historical error in the shark naval battle in Ridley Scott’s film. Gladiator II. The sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic follows Maximus’ son, Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), as he returns to the gladiatorial arena after Rome invades his hometown of Numidia under the rule of the twin emperors, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). . Naval battle is a cruel form of entertainment that fills the Colosseum floor with water and tiger sharks while reenacting a naval war with combatants on two boats fighting each other to the death.
Alison Futrell, associate professor of Roman history at the University of Arizona, said Business Insider that the naval scene is quite accurate. The teacher explained that naval battles staged in the Colosseum would work with “almost minaturized boats that give flavor to warships“, That’s what the film did. Although the Romans were aware of sea creatures, they were unlikely to have sharks because “they are challenging to work with” and that shark-like creatures are located more in the Indian Ocean than in the Mediterranean. Check out what Futrell said below:
Perhaps smaller, almost miniaturized boats that give the flavor of warships and that perhaps also accommodate greater visibility for the specifics of combat. Because there are fans who really want to see what kind of fight is happening there. There are ancient encyclopedists who talk about sea creatures and know things like sharks. But they knew they were a draw and made some effort at certain points to make it something of a show in some respects. Probably not specifically sharks, and only rarely orcas. They are challenging to work with.
What this means for Gladiator 2’s accuracy
Water shows have deep roots in Roman history
The sequel’s naval battle sees the Colosseum being filled with water for a staged naval battle. Although it may be hard to believe Gladiator 2 scene is based on real events from Roman history, water shows in Rome date back to the 1st century BC Naval battles staged on artificial lakes and in the Colosseum have also occurred since Julius Caesar’s rule in Rome. Although the involvement of aquatic creatures was very rare, there are records showing an attempt to capture an orca in the Tiber River under the rule of Emperor Claudius.
Gladiator II weaves many real-life elements into the filmbut the film is still a work of fiction overall. Lucius Verus is one of the characters based on real life, but the film presents a very different journey. In the film, Lúcio’s journey mirrors that of his father, Máximo, as he goes from soldier to gladiator and faces those in power. In real life, Lucius Verus II died very young, and his father was Lucius Verus in real Roman history.
Our Take on Gladiator II’s Historical Accuracy
Some wild stories are not far from real life
The mix of historical fact and fiction is what makes both Gladiator such fascinating films. Since its launch, Gladiator II received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike for its own brand of storytelling. The naval battle is one of the most intense scenes in the film, as the fighters of both ships are surrounded by sharks. When someone falls into the water, they disappear. Of course, the best moment of the scene is when the ship crashes into the royal living area and Lúcio aims his arrow at Pedro Pascal’s Marco Acácio, which is purely fictional.
Gladiator II is full of crazy stories, but the real twist of the film is that some of the craziest actually occurred in history. Like the staged naval battles, the scene in which Emperor Caracalla appoints his pet monkey, Dondas, as consul is also rooted in a similar event in history.
Source: Business Insider