Upamanyu Biswas
‘Gladiator II‘ centers on the life and challenges of Lucius, a Roman-born warrior who loses his wife, Arishat, during the Roman conquest of Numidia. Subsequently, Lucius has to fight his way through the gladiator ring against formidable opponents, hoping to win back his freedom while being caught in a web of family secrets and political agendas that might influence the empire’s future. While Rome falters, twin emperors Geta and Caracalla exert their ruthless desires and ambitions over their subjects, turning the nation into a bloodthirsty war machine. They serve an essential antagonistic role, showcasing the eccentricities of Rome’s powerful emperors while presenting a threat to Lucius. However, the circumstances surrounding their ascent to power seem shrouded in mystery.
The Events From Gladiator Paved the Way For Geta and Caracalla’s Rise to Power
At the outset, it is worth noting that Ridley Scott’s historical epic ‘Gladiator II’ prioritizes drama and narrative themes over historical accuracy. As such, the events described by the film have some element of fiction attached to them, even if they are encompassed within a real historical context and era. The same applies to the twin emperors, Geta and Caracalla, whose real-life counterparts were different from their movie persona. For a starter, the two were never twins, as depicted in the film. Instead, Caracalla was the eldest son of their father Septimius Severus, the first non-European emperor who also founded the Severan dynasty. He was almost a year older than his brother Geta, and the two were mothered by Severus’ second wife, Julia Domna.
From the narrative context provided by ‘Gladiator II’ it is clear that some time has elapsed since the tyrannical rule of Emperor Commodus from the original ‘Gladiator.‘ The sequel does not explain nor provide a lot of details about how Geta and Caracalla came into power. However, when diving into the historical records, we can gain some insight regarding how they might have succeeded to the throne. After the reign of Commodus, political unrest took over Rome as five men claimed the title of Roman Emperor in AD 193, which included Septimius Severus. This year is known as the Year of the Five Emperors and is characterized by a period of civil war waged by numerous rulers seeking to take over Rome.
The emperorship eventually fell into Severus’ hands after a couple of short rules by other leaders. He started his official reign on April 9, 193. Following his succession, Caracalla and Geta’s story began as the former was proclaimed co-emperor by his father on January 28, 198, at the tender age of 10. He was Rome’s first child emperor, painting a target on his back even before he came into adulthood. More than a decade later, he and his brother jointly succeeded their father following Severus’ death while he was on a campaign in Britain. Their official reign began on February 4, 211, which is likely the timeline followed by ‘Gladiator II.’ Therefore, at least 15 to 20 years must have elapsed since the first film’s events, depending on the film’s historical precision, allowing Lucius the time to grow into adulthood.
The Real-Life Emperor Geta and Caracalla Had a Difficult Relationship After Ascending the Throne
After taking over Rome, Geta and Caracalla’s relationship became fraught with constant arguments and differences. They traveled to Britain to put an end to their father’s campaign, brokering peace with the people there before returning to Rome. However, on the journey back, their relations became increasingly hostile as they kept bickering and fighting with each other. They even considered splitting the empire into two along the Bosphorus to make way for a much smoother co-rule that did not impinge on the other’s toes. However, their mother, Julia Domna, discouraged this idea. While she is not featured in the film, Domna played a pivotal role during her husband’s reign, managing the house and the empire’s affairs so that it was less taxing on him and, eventually, her sons.
However, within a few months, it became evident that the co-rule between Geta and Caracalla was doomed to fail. During a reconciliation meeting hosted by their mother in December 211, Praetorian Guard members loyal to Caracalla killed Geta, who died in Julia Domna’s arms. In the aftermath, Caracalla erased all memory of his brother from Roman paraphernalia and hunted down Geta’s supporters and members within his inner circle. The death toll eventually ranged in the thousands. While the film depicts Caracalla’s fratricide, the context surrounding the incident differs quite greatly from the actual murder. The movie Caracalla also veers away from his real-life counterpart, especially in his mental acuity and characteristics.
In ‘Gladiator II,’ Caracalla is portrayed as an eccentric leader who fawns over his pet monkey, Dondus, and never leaves his palace beyond the occasional visits to the Colosseum to watch the gladiator battles. However, in reality, Caracalla was a lot more experienced in warfare and martial combat, having lived through numerous battlefield encounters. As such, the movie version of the character can also almost be seen as a semi-fictional account of the actual emperor rather than a historically accurate one. Even his reign within the film, following his brother’s murder, is depicted as a short stint, clashing with the actual length of Caracalla’s rule, which lasted around six years. However, just like in the movie, the brothers were succeeded by Macrinus, the main instigator and antagonist in the Ridley Scott directorial.
Read More: What Are the Monkey-Like Animals in Gladiator II? Do They Really Exist?
