The beating heart of Rome is not the marble of the Senate, it's the sand of the Colosseum. He'll bring them death and they will love him for it.—Senator Gracchus, regarding Commodus, Gladiator
Senator Gracchus was a Roman Senator who lived in the times of Marcus Aurelius and his son, Commodus and continued in his role following Commodus's death.
He was portrayed by Derek Jacobi in the 2000 film Gladiator, who reprises his role in its sequel Gladiator II.
Senator[]
Gracchus was a senator of the Roman Empire around 180 AD. He first was a senator under Marcus Aurelius. When Marcus was assassinated by his son, Commodus, Gracchus distrusted Commodus, though grudgingly admired his understanding of the mob mentality. He told Commodus of the troubles breaking out in Rome, including the plague in Greek Quarter. Commodus seemed not to care much. His distrust of Commodus led him to defect to the side of Maximus Decimus Meridius, an opponent of the evil Commodus who massacred his family.
Defection and Capture[]
Lucilla told Commodus of Gracchus' treachery, under threat of her son's death. While he was at his estate, he was arrested by the Praetorian Guard. However, when Maximus was dying of wounds given to him before his final battle with Commodus in the arena, he ordered that prisoner Gladiators would be freed and Gracchus reinstated as senator. Gracchus helped carry Maximus' body away along with several other strong men and Empress Lucilla.
A new opposition[]
Gracchus survives in the years following the deaths of Commodus and Maximus, seeing the rise of the new co-emperors, Caracalla and Geta. He becomes drawn into the conspriacy of Lucill and her new husband General Marcus Acacius to depose the two, a coup which ultimately fails, and ends up being executed.
Trivia[]
- Gracchus and his fellow senator Gaius are a play on Gaius Gracchus, people from Roman history. The two Gracchi, Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, were populist politicians favouring land reform in the early late Republic.