While many moments in Gladiator are not accurate compared

to real life, there are also several moments in the movie that
reflect what really happened in Ancient Rome. While Maximus
might not have been based on a real historical figure, he was
based on many historical accounts of real gladiators and the
lives they led
 Gladiator fictionalizes elements of Roman history, including the reigns of
Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, but characters like Maximus have basis in
historical figures such as Narcissus, Cincinnatus, and Spartacus.