"Gladiator" Introduction Paragraph- Jowin Okere

Ancient Rome is known as one of the most revolutionary civilizations in history. It has been depicted in several different aspects from the artistic shifts to their powerful government. In "The Gladiator", Ridley Scott depicts the violent and barbaric nature of ancient Rome through the eyes of Maximus, a man who has been sold as a Gladiator after encountering a series of unfortunate events. His transition from an organized militant leader to a war hungry fighter is a human manifestation of the blurred spectrum that is Rome. Ridley Scott uses Maximus as an avatar of this depiction, to make a statement about the true nature of Rome and its culture through his trials and encounters throughout the movie.