Archaeologists discover the real Roman Gladiator Maximus

Archaeologists have discovered a new mosaic depicting a superstar gladiator, who won the hearts of the people, much like Maximus, the general-turned-fighter played by Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator.

Washington, May 8 : Archaeologists have discovered a new mosaic depicting a superstar gladiator, who won the hearts of the people, much like Maximus, the general-turned-fighter played by Russell Crowe in the movie 'Gladiator'.

The image was discovered just outside Rome at the residence of Emperor Commodus.

The movie version of Commodus, played by actor Joaquin Phoenix, was Maximus' enemy.

Researchers say the pictured fighter was probably a star gladiator fancied by the real Commodus, who was an enthusiast of blood sports.

Riccardo Frontoni, an archaeologist working with Rome's Department of Cultural Heritage, came across the mosaic, while digging in a field near the remains of the Villa dei Quintili, Commodus' countryside residence.

The dwelling is along the Via Appia Antica, an ancient way that connected Rome to southern Italy.

"It's a rather poor piece on the artistic side, black and white and not too detailed. Historically it's noteworthy because it doesn't depict a fantasy or mythological scene, but real people from everyday life: a gladiator and a referee in the act of proclaiming him winner. The inscription in the mosaic informs that the fighter's name was Montanus, probably a nickname, and the referee's name was Antonius," said Frontoni.

The mosaic depicts the gladiator wearing light leather armour over his left arm and shoulder, his neck, and the back of his head. He is armed with a trident and a net.

"It's the typical equipment of gladiators called retiarii. In combat games, usually a retiarius fought against a secutor, a gladiator armed with a sword and a shield," National Geographic quoted Frontoni as saying.

"The presence of the inscription with the name - a quite unusual feature - suggests that Montanus was a famous gladiator, beloved by ancient Romans like [how modern sports fans idolize] today's football stars," he said.

"Gladiators were living social contradictions. They shared a dangerous and humiliating job, but, on the other hand, low-class Roman people and even noblewomen hero-worshipped them," added Luciano Canfora, a historian and professor of classical philology at Italy's University of Bari.

Commodus, who ruled the Roman Empire from AD 180 to 192, was a well-known fan of gladiatorial combat. He loved to fight in the arena himself as a secutor, much to the scandal of Roman noble families.

Members of Roman Senatus disapproved of him for such an inconvenient behaviour. Also because of his title, opponents always submitted to Commodus. But, he was still proud of his physical strength and fancied himself as the reincarnation of Hercules.

"On the contrary, the plebs - the-low class people - showed appreciation for the emperor's peculiar interest and loved to see him fighting," said Canfora.

Frontoni however, clarified that Commodus did not commission the unusual mosaic.

"Commodus was born in 161 AD. The picture covers the floor of a bathhouse built around 130 AD, and we think the mosaic is the same age of the building, so it was there before Commodus' birth. At the time, the Quintilii family owned the villa. They were friends of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Commodus' father. I imagine that Commodus as a child used to visit Quintilii's residence and to admire the mosaic of Montanus. He probably knew and fancied the fighter," said Frontoni.

ANI