But was Rome really as gay as that? Ancient Romans would not have seen sharks at the Colosseum. But historians say that other parts of the film Gladiator II are surprisingly realistic.
The history Gladiator II gets right
Blood and gore: Paul Mescal’s Lucius Verus (left) who is forced into slavery after failing to defend his adopted homeland Numidia, takes on Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius (right). Glossary
Ridley Scott - An English filmmaker known for his sci-fi, historical and crime films. He was born in 1937.
Ancient Rome - One of the largest empires in the ancient world.
Colosseum - A vast stadium built by the Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus. It could seat between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators. It was used to hold gladiatorial contests and even mock sea battles.
Gladiators - Ancient Roman fighters who would stage battles and duels for the entertainment of large crowds. Although this is often thought of as a bloody sport, in reality it was quite rare for gladiators to be killed: their aim was to incapacitate their opponent.
Prisoners of war - People who have been captured and imprisoned by enemy forces during a war.
LGBT - Stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.