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Nevertheless, historians indicate he liked to think of himself as Hercules, and even began to dress like him in gladiator contests rather than as the emperor, where he wore bright emperor clothing in the film.<ref>For more on Commodus' gladiator contests, see: Adams 2013: 242</ref>

====Main Characters====

<u>Maximus Decimus Meridius</u>: Maximus is an entirely fictitious character, but seems to be based on several characters, including Avidius Cassius, who was a general in Marcus Aurelius' armies. He did declare himself emperor or revolt shortly after thinking Aurelius died in 175, suggesting a brief power struggle, but he was eventually killed after it became clear Aurelius was not dead. There was a general named Maximus who lived in the late Roman Empire who may have aspired to revolt against the empire.<ref>For more on Avidius, see: Canduci, Alexander (2010). <i>Triumph & Tragedy: The Rise and Fall of Rome’s Immortal Emperors.</i> Roman imperial biographies. Sydney: Pier 9.</ref>

If you want to learn more about gladiators, check out our article [[How Did Gladiatorial Games Evolve in Ancient Rome?]] for more information.

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