Commodus: selfish and cruel, son of the emperor of Rome

Maximus: Spanish general of the Roman Empire

GLADIATORS: professional fighters who fought before the public in hugely popular
organised games held in large purpose-built arenas throughout the Roman Empire.

CHAPTER 1: FARMER AND SOLDIER

The Roman Empire was under the rule of the Caesars. Maximus had sent a message
to make a treat with the German army, but the messenger returned without his head.
So, the Germans and Romans had a brutal battle, and the Romans won. The emperor,
Marcus, soon must name the next emperor.

CHAPTER 2: THE LAST BATTLE

Emperor Marcus had watched the battle and he didn´t want it to happen again.
Maximus saw the Hundreds of men resting, with their swords in the air, Maximus
thought it was an honour for Caesar but it was him, they honoured him. Marcus had
won many battles for the glory of Rome but Maximus would always remember him first
as a good man. Commodus was jealous of the soldiers, they honoured them above the
Emperor and his family.

CHAPTER 3: ONE MORE DUTY

Marcus had fought for the equality and freedom of Rome, but he was disputing himself
if all the sacrifice they had done was worth it. He offered Maximus the emperor’s title,
who ended up accepting. Then, Maximus went out and talked to Lucilla to say
goodbye, she said she loved him. The emperor told his son about his decision of
making Maximus the emperor of Rome, but he got angry and killed him. Maximus knew
that Commodus had killed Marcus and he told Quintus about it, but he was an
accomplice and took Maximus as a prisoner.

CHAPTER 4: A PRISONER AGAIN.

Maximus escaped, took a horse and went home. When he arrived there, he saw his
wife and son hanged in a tree, where they had been burnt alive. Some Africans saved
him and took him to Morocco, where he was sold to Proximo as a slave to become a
gladiator.

CHAPTER 5: NEW GLADIATORS

In the school of gladiators, Maximus refused to fight. Proximo had done a bet and they
carried the gladiators to the arena to fight.

CHAPTER 6 CAESARS ARRIVAL IN ROME

The new Emperor of Rome and his sister had returned home and the senate wasn’t
happy about it, but no one there could stop Commodus. He had a lot of work to do to
make himself popular and win the support of people. So, he panned the games.

CHAPTER 7: THE SPANIARD AND THE CROWD

Commodus wanted to kill the senate. Lucilla promised to be by his side, at his back she
had made a plan with Senator Gracchus to stop the games to help people outside who
were dying of hunger. Maximus fought with six men at the same time and killed them
all. Proximo took the gladiators to Rome to fight in the games. Rome had become a
poorer and dirtier place than Maximus remembered. The only thing he wanted now was
to take revenge on the man who had taken everything from him. The next day, the
gladiators were taken to the Colosseum and put into cages. Maximus saw a boy who
admired him, he realized he was Lucilla’s son.

CHAPTER 8: THE COLOSSEUM.

The gladiators had received an amour and a sword. Maximus won over everyone in the
arena. Commodus wanted to meet him because he hadn’t recognized him. When
Maximus said his name out loud, the crowd went crazy and Lucilla went to help him,
but he was angry with her because of the death of his family.

CHAPTER 9 A MAN FOR THE PEOPLE

Maximus won a fight with Tigris of Gaul and 4 tigers. Some soldiers went to see if it
was true that their general was still alive. Maximus and Commodus stared at each
other, and the crowd cheered Maximus and laughs at the Emperor. Maximus called
Lucilla, it was his chance to get his revenge.

CHAPTER 10 SECRETS AND LIES

Commodus ordered Senator Romeo to spy on Maximus, Lucilla and the senator. He
suspected their plan. The plan was to free Maximus, fight the Commodus army and get
free prisoners and gladiators

CHAPTER 11 BROKEN PLANS

Commodus had discovered them and decided to fight with Maximus in the arena. He
had stabbed Maximus to make sure that he will win. But Maximus ended up killing him
and dying in Lucilla’s arms

CHAPTER 12 HOME, AT LAST

The games had ended. Juba was a free man. He took the small wooden figures of
Maximus’s wife and son and put them in the hole and covered them with the earth that
carried their loved one’s blood. Now it would be easier for them to find each other in the
next world. “Now we are free,” he said loudly. “This place will become dust, but I will
not forget you”.