Gladiator is a brilliant movie depicting historical events that have shaped the world as we know it. Under the rule of Marcus Aurelius the Roman Empire has experienced much greatness. Even if Maximus, the main character of the movie is invented, the other two essential characters, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus are not.

The movie released in 2000 by the director Ridley Scott, is based on true events, all of the lessons showcased in this article being deduced from reality.

Lead by Example

Althrough a fictional character, Maximus has its roots in reality and in real generals that have ruled the Roman army. What sets apart Maximus from all of the other characters in the movie is his desire to fight side by side with his people and lead them by example.

Unlike all of the other main and ruling characters from the movie, Maximus relied on his actions to gain the appreciation of his people, instead of relying on a title to win their respect. He set himself at the same level as his army, even if Maximus was far more than a soldier.

Because of the great leading example that Maximus represented, he managed to build a better relationship with his people; something that helped him establish a more healthier team dynamic. He relied on that relationship to win the battles as a team, and attribute his victory to the whole army, instead of a single man.

This lessons is an essential one considering how many people are just trying to lead without actually setting up an example. Too many people consider that having a managing title is enough to become a leader when, instead, the actions you perform and the example you set are what matter in building that leader dynamic.

If there’s one thing you can take from the real-life inspired movie character Maximus is that, instead of taking into consideration titles, you should actually focus on your actions to lead and manage your team.

Values Matter

Another thing that sets Maximus apart form the whole crowd of people with similar ambitions, is his devotion to his values. This character, unlike many others, has some clear values in life that he’s trying to obey by any means.

Strength and honor

Maximus tried to pursue and obey his set values throughout the whole movie, regardless if he was the general of a great army, or the slave of a former gladiator. Even in his lowest point, the main character of this movie decided to stay true to his values, regardless of the potential consequences.

Everybody should take a break from life, sit down, arrive at some conclusions and set up some values that are authentic to their core. This kind of values can represent both a landmark to follow when you are at your greatest but, also a line of support that can guide you back up when you’re at your lowest.

Conclusion

Gladiator represents a classic historical movie depicting some strong characters that anybody can pick a few lessons from, in order to lead better and more fulfilling lives. We also advise you to read some of our other movie reviews if you want to discover other powerful movie characters.