Ridley Scott’s epic historical sequel, Gladiator II promises to be a dramatic and spectacular, if not particularly historically accurate roller-coaster ride through the Roman Empire. And while there are already some excellent videos out there discussing the authenticity of the battle scenes, dramatic deaths and exactly which era saw the flooding of the Colosseum, I want to take a look at something different – the cast of characters and their real historic counterparts. Today let’s explore the family trees which connect the key players, sort out who was real and who was fictional, meet a few fascinating women who did more than wait around to be rescued, and discover everyone’s true fates, which are even more dramatic than Hollywood could come up with. Caution, there will be some spoilers, but I won’t give away the ending of the new film, only what really happened in history. Gladiator I : Marcus Aurelius Commodus The Year of Five Emperors - 193 Pertinax Didius Julianus Pescennius Niger Clodius Albinus Septimius Severus Gladiator II: Caracalla and Geta Macrinus Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Dragon Rojo by The Mini Vandals #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday #gladiator2 Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices