Gladiator 2: the long-awaited reunion
Twenty-four years after following Massimo’s journey, the doors of the Colosseum reopen Gladiator 2, at the cinema from this Wednesday 13 November. This new opera, again directed by Ridley Scott, takes us back in time the ruthless world of ancient Romethis time following the fate of Lucius, son of Lucilla and Maximus, played by Paul Mescal.
The film opens with Lucius living in Numidia, a province in rebellion against the Roman Empire. He leads a simple life with his wife, but everything changes when the Roman army, led by general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), attacks the rebels. Lucius loses everything in this battle: his wife is killed and he himself is captured. Enslaved, Lucius is forced to join the ranks of the gladiators, a tragic irony for the son of Maximus, the greatest gladiator Rome has known.
Sentenced to the arena, Lucius fights under the authority of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), an ambitious former slave, who has risen through the ranks to find himself at the head of the gladiators. Macrinus, hungry for power, sees in Lucius a potential tool to establish his influence and get closer to Rome’s elite. He manipulates Lucius’ hatred for Acacius to serve his own purposes, hoping that the latter’s desire for revenge will drive him to achieve great things in the arena.
Was the Colosseum in Rome really full of water?
One of the most memorable scenes of Gladiator 2 (which we have already seen in the trailer) is the one in which the Colosseum, filled with water, hosts a naval battle with ships. Gladiators who fall into the water find themselves confronted by sharks who are just waiting for a good meal.
In fact, the Romans organized re-enactments of naval battles, called naumachiato entertain the population. These shows took place in specially designed pools, sometimes even in artificial lakes, and featured real boats with hundreds of fighters. These naumachies recreated historical or legendary naval clashes, and were intended to impress the citizens of Rome and demonstrate the power of the Empire.
For example, in 46 BC BC, Julius Caesar organized a gigantic naumachia near the Tiber, involving more than 2,000 fighters and 4,000 rowers. Emperor Augustus also had a huge basin dug near the Field of Mars for large-scale naval displays. Naumachia was an extremely expensive event, reserved for special occasions and imperial celebrations.
The Colosseum and the first naumachia
So the idea of a flooded Colosseum for naval battles is not entirely a myth. According to several historical sources, the Colosseum hosted naumachies during its inauguration in 80 AD BC, during the reign of Emperor Titus. The latter would have organized naval combat in the arena, partially flooding the space to reconstruct battles between small ships.
But these Colosseum naumachies were different from large outdoor shows. Inside the arena, the Colosseum measured approximately 80 by 54 metres, a modest size compared to the large pools built specifically for naumachies. The water depth was probably limited, as the Colosseum was not designed for prolonged flooding. These first battles in the arena probably resembled demonstrations or small naval maneuvers more than actual battles.
The addition of the hypogeum: end of the aquatic shows in the Colosseum
The possibility of flooding the Colosseum was short-lived. During the reign of Domitian, Titus’ successor, the arena was equipped with complex underground structures, calledhypogeal. This system of tunnels, cages and trapdoors allowed gladiators and animals to be introduced directly into the arena. These structures made flooding the arena impractical, as the water would damage the infrastructure and block underground passages.
Once the hypogeum was installed, it became impossible to organize the naumachia in the Colosseum. The aquatic shows were then relegated to outdoor pools, built specifically for these events, like the one wanted by Augustus. The latter basin, located near the Field of Mars, could host large-scale battles with real warships, unlike the limited demonstrations that the Colosseum arena would have allowed.
The fiction of Gladiator 2 : a spectacular but invented vision
The scene of Gladiator 2where gladiators face sharks in a flooded Colosseum, is therefore a purely cinematic fiction. Although the Romans had a real passion for animal fighting and exotic spectacles, there is no evidence that they ever introduced sharks into an arena. On the other hand, gladiators fought against lions, tigers, bears and other dangerous animals from the four corners of the Empire.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
