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Character Role Analysis

Maximus, Commodus

Commodus is everything Maximus is not. Maximus doesn't want to be emperor, or have anything to do with politics. Commodus wants to be the center of attention, wants power, and wants to be emperor. Maximus plays fair—before his battle with the barbarians, he sends an envoy to try to negotiate (this happens before the film starts). He fights fairly in the arena too.

Commodus, on the other hand, is a total cheat: he kills his father and takes power, he throws tigers into the arena to try to kill Maximus while he's fighting another guy, and he stabs Maximus' before the final fight in the arena. His way of cheating, spying, and manipulating people (especially Lucilla, from whom he extracts valuable info about Maximus' plans to escape) contrasts with Maximus' more honest dealings.