This movie was great. I got clued into this movie from Harrison's "Vengeance". Another GREAT movie.(For the first twenty minutes I was waiting for Richard "Harris" to appear. Duh.) Also I didn't know Harrison was the guy who suggested Clint Eastwood to Leone... ...until I learned it here. How bout that.
If you're both a movie buff and into "Roman" stuff Michael Curtis Ford's "Gods and Legions is the book to read. If you're into history I suggest you get Ammianus Marcellinus' History to read along with this novel. The ass kicker here is that Marcellinus actually went to battle with Emperor Julian. The 3-Volume Loeb Classic is almost an adventure novel all by itself.
As far as Gladiators go a couple of "definitive" books are The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix and Spartacus by Howard Fast. Here are books from my library. Ass kickers every one.
Ammianus Marcellinus History The Battle for Gaul by Julius Caesar The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix Spartacus by Howard Fast Julian by Gore Vidal Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford The Last King by Michael Curtis Ford The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford The Fall of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield Tides of War by Steven Pressfield The Virtures of War Steven Pressfield Alexaneder the Great by Paul Cartledge The Spartans by Paul Cartledge Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge
