This article contains majorGladiator II spoilers.
Denzel Washingtonis one of those truly gifted actors.
The kind where watching him read from a tax return could be amusing.
Yet even that is not good enough for the powerbroker.
But to what end, and for what ultimate purpose, is never explained.
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Perhaps because to imagine such a scenario would takeGladiator IIevenfurtheraway from history.
Which is saying something since the film is already outright fantasy by this point.
Admittedly its an exciting fantasy.
In an interview with our magazine last month, the filmmaker posited theres no difference between then and now.
Its the same, except I think now its much worse.
So from the jump, it’s possible for you to guess what appears inGladiator IIis highly fictionalized.
What is true in the film, though, is that Caracalla did witness the murder of his brother.
This was not done because Caracalla was simple of mind, but ruthless and hungry of power.
But Caracalla did dream of being a great ruler of conquest.
But his reign was even shorter-lived than Caracallas six-year solo run.
Macrinus was assassinated a year after killing Caracalla while the new emperor was fleeing an ignoble defeat.
He never stepped foot inside of Rome.
Such debates are ultimately fruitless, however, since Romans did not care about race like modern Westerners.
Everyone else was the barbarian.
It was also awarded to local officials in Romes many provinces (enemies might also call them collaborators).
Why Caracalla created such a radical reform has puzzled historians since his lifetime to today.
And even then, his attempt to make a change failed.
Something to think about between the stabby bits the next time you go to the arena.
Gladiator II is in theaters now.
