4. Gladiator (2000)

Despite being one of the most popular historical epics ever made, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator has its fair share of historical inaccuracies.

Firstly, Emperor Marcus Aurelius is murdered early on in the movie by his son Commodus. In reality, Aurelius died a far less glamorous death – he was killed by chickenpox.

There’s also the significant liberties Gladiator took with its depiction of Commodus’ rule, which in the movie is imagined to be a short-lived dictatorship. In fact, Commodus was a popular ruler of the Roman Empire for over a decade before he began to become increasingly unhinged. He also didn’t die fighting in the Colosseum, but was instead strangled in the bath by his wrestling partner Narcissus.

Honestly, we’d pay to see that alternate ending.

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