In the trailer for Gladiator II, there is a hint that female fighters may be entering the Colosseum, leading many to wonder if female gladiators actually existed in Ancient Rome. Gladiator II is the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's 2000 box office hit, Gladiator. The movie stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, a young man who is forced to enter the Colosseum as a gladiator after Rome invades his home.Gladiator II's cast also includes Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen. In the trailer alone, it is clear that Gladiator II will tell an epic story.
Throughout the Gladiator II trailer, audiences get to see sneak peeks at what is to come when the movie premieres on November 22, 2024. There are clips of Mescal and Pascal fighting in the Colosseum, the scheming villainy of Washington's Macrinus, and the strange, cruel faces of Quinn and Fred Hechinger as Emperors Geta and Caracalla. However, there is one detail that is incredibly subtle, yet very exciting. In the trailer, there is a shot of female archers shooting arrows at the gladiators in the Colosseum.
Women Gladiators Did Fight In The Colosseum In Real Life
Women Fought As Gladiators (But Not The Same Way As Men)
As it turns out, the inclusion of female fighters in Gladiator II is not just a piece of movie magic. Female gladiators were a real part of Ancient Roman history. According to The History Channel, women of all different classes would train to fight as gladiators. Though they usually did not fight other men, they would enter the Colosseum to fight other women or animals. Women of the lower classes who were seemingly strong were introduced to fighting by their masters, while women of higher classes did it for a bit of excitement and rebellion.
Gladiator II's Main Cast
Who They Play
Paul Mescal
Lucius
Pedro Pascal
Marcus Acacius
Connie Nielsen
Lucilla
Denzel Washingon
Macrinus
Joseph Quinn
Emperor Geta
Fred Hechinger
Emperor Caracalla
Unfortunately though, women gladiators were not taken nearly as seriously as the men. In fact, The History Channel argues that most female gladiators were considered to be after-dinner entertainment rather than true physical threats. Despite this, female gladiators were still revered for their strength, and the Romans even encouraged this building of physical prowess to prepare for childbirth. Plus, female gladiators often benefited from the same fame and fortune that male gladiators did. They may not feature as heavily in the history books, but they certainly existed.
Female Gladiators Were Banned From Rome In 200 AD
The Surprising Reason Why Female Gladiators Were Banned
Ultimately, female gladiators did not last, just as gladiators in general eventually petered out. In 200 AD, the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus, decreed that all females were banned from fighting as gladiators. His reasoning was actually quite interesting. After hearing some truly awful jokes targeted at female gladiators, Severus feared that the sport would create widespread disrespect for women at large, (History Channel.) At this point, gladiators were already on the decline, but from that moment on, women were barred from entering the Colosseum.
Before Gladiator 2 arrives in theaters, it's the perfect time to revisit Ridley Scott's first Gladiator movie, so where is it streaming online?
It is exciting that Gladiator II is giving audiences a glimpse at female gladiators. Although the Gladiator franchise is beloved by many viewers, it arguably lacks a strong female perspective. This can make it difficult for female audiences to get invested in the story. However, if Gladiator II includes more fierce women characters, it could make the franchise even more riveting. Only time will tell how Gladiator IIincorporates its female archers.
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott's award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
Release Date November 22, 2024
Writers David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni
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English (US) ·