Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ancient mosaic of the real Gladiator found
Telegraph ^ | Sunday, April 29, 2007 | Nick Pisa

Posted on 04/29/2007 9:24:30 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

A chance discovery by archaeologists has brought to light a mosaic nearly 2,000 years old depicting what may have been a real-life version of the Roman combatant played by Russell Crowe in the film Gladiator. The mosaic was found as Italian researchers carried out work on the spectacular Villa dei Quintili, south of Rome and home to the sports-loving Emperor Commodus. Commodus, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in the film, was known to enjoy gladiatorial combat and had a small amphitheatre in which fighters would train, near the villa, which Commodus had seized after having its owners executed on a trumped-up charge of treason. It was nearby that the mosaic was found - picturing a gladiator named Montanus holding a trident alongside a referee who appears to be pronouncing him the victor over a prone opponent.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs

In for the kill: The mosaic depicts Montanus, possibly a favourite of the sports-loving Emperor Commodus

Ancient mosaic of the real Gladiator found

1 posted on 04/29/2007 9:24:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: blam; FairOpinion; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 24Karet; 3AngelaD; 49th; ...
To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
Gods, Graves, Glyphs PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

2 posted on 04/29/2007 9:25:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Saturday, April 28, 2007. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
What a great find but wouldn’t you hate to be named Commodus?
3 posted on 04/29/2007 9:30:01 PM PDT by Ditter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
Yep, it's him all right


4 posted on 04/29/2007 9:32:33 PM PDT by ValerieTexas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ditter

Poor Caesar — that was just his nickname, and yet he was plagued by seizures.


5 posted on 04/29/2007 9:33:18 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Saturday, April 28, 2007. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Being named after a salad dressing is not so bad but named after a toilet! *snicker*


6 posted on 04/29/2007 9:35:05 PM PDT by Ditter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

MAXIMUS!!!!!!!!!!!

7 posted on 04/29/2007 9:41:38 PM PDT by Killborn (Age of servitude. A government of the traitors, by the liars, for the sheep.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
Gee, he even looks like Crowe a little. Not as hot, though. But then, who could be as hot as Crowe?
8 posted on 04/30/2007 4:10:59 AM PDT by Fairview ( Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fairview
I do wish Russell had done another film set in ancient Greece or Rome; he might have had a megahit film like "300".
9 posted on 04/30/2007 9:44:12 AM PDT by Ciexyz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson