Sumith Prasad
In Ridley Scott’s historical film ‘Gladiator II,’ Denzel Washington’s Macrinus of Thysdrus is a former slave who rises through the ranks to become a reputed lord. He is a patron of several gladiators, who mostly end up with him as prisoners of war like Lucius Verus Aurelius. The influential figure appeals to Emperor Geta and Caracalla through these gladiators, who display their valor for the entertainment of the two rulers. What makes Macrinus a standout among his peers is his race. His ascension to the throne of the Roman Empire, where racism prevails through slavery, despite being a Black man, motivated us to delve into the authenticity of the character! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Macrinus Was Not a Black Emperor in Reality
Denzel Washington’s Macrinus is partially based on Marcus Opellius Macrinus, who ruled the Roman Empire from April 217 to June 218 following the murder of Emperor Caracalla. However, the real-life historical figure was not a Black man as ‘Gladiator II’ portrays. Even Washington was aware that his portrayal was historically inaccurate. “I started heading down that hole, but I’ve done enough biopics. And I’m sure people are already saying, ‘Macrinus wasn’t black!’ They’ll say, ‘Well, there were no black people in Rome.’ Oh, really? Well, how did they get so dark-skinned? You know, somebody rolled through there,” the actor told The Times.
The real-life Macrinus was born in Mauretania Caesariensis, a Roman province that is presently located in the North African country of Algeria. Rather than a former slave, he was a member of an equestrian family, which ranked second among the property/social-based classes in the Roman Empire behind the senatorial class. He even served as a praetorian prefect under the reign of Emperor Caracalla. Transforming Macrinus into a Black former slave was integral for Ridley Scott and his screenwriter, David Scarpa, to present him as the primary antagonist of the movie. As the period drama concludes, Macrinus turns against the best interests of the Roman Empire to satisfy his ambitions and thirst for vengeance, which is rooted in the hardships he suffered as a slave in the past.
As far as Macrinus is concerned, the empire and its emperors only made his life tougher. His rage and wish to exact revenge gradually get nurtured in him, paving the way for his antagonistic decisions and actions. The character’s identity as a Black former slave lays a foundation for his motives. When Washington signed on to play the role, he decided to deliver his performance in his natural accent rather than employing a North African one to align with Macrinus’ roots in Mauretania Caesariensis. “Well, the thing was, where are we? Whose accent would it be? What does that sound like anyway? You’re going to end up imitating someone and end up with a bad African accent,” he told Empire.
Black People Were Part of Different Social Strata of the Roman Empire
Even though the rise of Macrinus through the ranks to become the second counsel of Emperor Caracalla as a Black man may seem like an exaggeration, Africans were an integral part of different Roman strata. According to PBS, the descendants of former slaves, also known as freedmen, had complete citizenship rights, including the right to hold office. Therefore, the existence of wealthy Black individuals in the Roman Empire was indeed a possibility. While historical records are scarce to confirm the exact race of Roman figures, it is widely believed that officials such as Quintus Lollius Urbicus might have been Black.
Urbicus was from the North African region of Numidia, which is the setting of the opening scenes of ‘Gladiator II.’ He served as a Roman governor of Britain in the 2nd century CE, an important position back then. However, it is important to note that not even experts have been able to determine his race and complexion beyond a shadow of a doubt. Another noteworthy figure is Lucius Quietus, a general who is regarded as one of the most accomplished Berber officials of the Roman Empire. Like Urbicus, Lucius’ race is also contested. Perhaps the most controversial among these individuals is Septimius Severus, none other than the father of Emperor Geta and Caracalla, the secondary antagonists of the film.
The Severan Tondo, a panel painting that features the family of Septimius Severus, who ruled the Roman Empire from 193 to 211, portrays him with a dark complexion. Over the years, several historians have claimed that the painting shows how the Romans saw their emperor. Having said that, several others have disputed this assumption by citing the emperor’s heritage. “For the Romans, ‘Africa’ was North Africa, before the arrival of the Arabs, and part of the Graeco-Roman world. Hence, the emperor Septimius Severus was an ‘African’ of Phoenician and Italian descent,” Robert Tombs, a historian based at the University of Cambridge, told The Telegraph.
Read More: Gladiator II: Is General Acacius Based on a Real Roman General?
