When Ridley Scott’s highly-regarded historical epic Gladiator first dropped in the year 2000, cinematic history was both ...
the emperor mortally wounds Maximus and challenges him in the Colosseum, where they both die. As Maximus is dying, he encourages the people to follow the dream of the old emperor, Marcus Aurelius.
Galen of Pergamon makes a name for himself as a physician for gladiators in the arena. A devastating plague sweeps through the city and Galen catches the attention of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.