Joaquin Phoenix’s Emperor Commodus murdered many people to secure his position in the Gladiatorbut no murder was more heinous than the murder of Maximus’s wife and son. Phoenix’s terrifying yet fictional portrayal of the Roman emperor was based on the character’s cruelty, but the most intimidating aspect of the character is how calculating he was in his quest to gain and maintain power. In this light, the murder of Maximus’ family is much more than just a random act of violence designed to hurt a perceived enemy.
Commodus’ path to power in Gladiator is littered with bodies, starting with his own father and continuing as he foils Maximus’ grand escape plan to join his army and take control of Rome. Although it certainly seemed like his father’s murder was a crime of passion, given that up to that point the murder of Joaquin Phoenix Gladiator character who was supposed to be named Marcus Aurelius’ successor, every murder after that had some kind of purpose. This is particularly true when it comes to the murder of Máximo’s family, which occurred after Máximo’s death and seemed, at first glance, unnecessary.
Commodus killing Maximus’ family sent a message
Exterminating the bloodline ensured that no one doubted how ruthless Commodus could be
Murdering Maximus’ family after Maximus himself was already dead (or so Commodus thought) seems like an exaggeration, but in doing so, Commodus sent a message to all those who might consider questioning his rule. Seeing that even one of Rome’s most beloved leaders can pay the ultimate price for disloyalty sends a message, but killing his family also changes the message. Maximus’ murder acts as a warning, but the murder of his family may shock the soldiers and the other generals and senators of Rome. Commodus tries to intimidate the Senate to their faces later in Gladiatorso sending a message this way is certainly not uncommon.
Maximus’ popularity unfortunately further justified the murder of his family by Emperor Commodus in early Gladiator. Given that Maximus appears to have personal relationships with many of his own officers and even foot soldiers, it seems likely that news of what happened to Maximus and his family would spread quickly through the ranks. Cold and calculating as he was, the murder of Maximus’ family was the best way for Commodus to send an immediate and lasting message about the price of disloyalty.
Why Commodus was right to worry about Maximus’ influence
Maximus was popular enough to pose a significant threat to the emperor’s authority
As terrible as his response was, there is much evidence to suggest that Commodus was right to be concerned about Maximus’ influence. In the famous opening scene of GladiatorMaximus demonstrates how widespread respect for him is in his army, exchanging greetings with everyone from fellow officers to foot soldiers. He is greeted at every step and, as if that weren’t enough, it is revealed that Marcus Aurelius trusts him more than his own son. With influence at all military levels, there is no person more dangerous to Commodus’ government than Maximus.
The final example comes at the end of Gladiatorwhen Maximus manages to work with Cicero, Senator Gracchus, and Commodus’ real-life sister Lucilla to orchestrate a coup. Although the plan is terminated by Commodus before it takes off, Cicero makes it clear that thousands of Maximus’ soldiers will respond to his commands once they discover he is alive. This type of influence, born of love and respect, cannot be bought or equaled by fear. For Commodus, this was more than enough to justify the murder of Maximus’ entire family.
How Gladiator 2 Handles What Commodus Did
Commodus’ cruelty ensures that Lucilla protects Maximus’ surviving child
Emperor Commodus may have had Maximus’ wife and son killed, but Gladiator 2 revealed that Russell Crowe Gladiator character had more than one child. There were strong indications Gladiator that young nephew of Commodus, Lucius (Spencer Trent Clark), was actually the illegitimate son of Maximus, born to a family the legendary gladiator had with Commodus’s sister, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). This was later confirmed in 2024 with the arrival of Gladiator 2, which focused on an adult Lucius (now played by Paul Mescal) and made it clear that Emperor Commodus’ nephew was, as the original suggested, the son of Maximus.
If Commodus had not killed Maximus’ family in such a cruel way, Lucilla might not have considered it necessary to keep Lucius as far away from Rome as possible.
Emperor Commodus killing Maximus’ family in Gladiator had a subtle but incredibly important impact on the events of Gladiator 2. Although it was never openly stated, seeing how willing Roman rulers were to kill the children of potential threats to their rule likely led Lucilla to send Lucius to Numidia after the deaths of Commodus and Maximus. At the time of Gladiator 2, which is set 16 years later Gladiator, Lucius spent most of his life in Africa. He still has a wife, although she was killed by the Roman army (echoing the beginning of Maximus’ quest for revenge in Gladiator).
If Commodus had not killed Maximus’ family in such a cruel way, Lucilla might not have considered it necessary to keep Lucius as far away from Rome as possible. After all, Lucius was the imperial heir and would have inherited the throne of the Roman Empire upon his uncle’s death. However, Lucilla witnessed firsthand why her son’s right to rule placed a target on his head. Due to her brother’s actions, Lucilla knew that the next Emperor, or even aspiring members of the Senate, would be more than capable of simply killing Lucius to nullify the threat his claim to the throne posed.
It is impossible to speculate how Lucilla would have acted if Maximus’ family had been spared by Commodus, of course. However, It seems likely that the fear she felt upon witnessing her brother’s cruelty shaped her into the paranoid and cautious character seen in Gladiator 2. This includes sending Lucius to Numidia, which in turn ensured that he became the hero seen in the Gladiator sequel rather than yet another pampered member of the Roman nobility.