Was the “Thumbs-Down” From “Gladiator” Real?
The epic movie Gladiator saw ancient Rome brought back to life on the big screen. One of the most iconic scenes is when the emperor decides the gladiators’ fate with a thumb facing up or down. But did that really happen in the stadiums of Rome?
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There’s been extensive debate about what the precise gestures really meant or whether the judges really used their thumbs in the first place. Some historians suggest the opposite to the movie, that a “thumbs down” signified the losing gladiator was to be spared while the “thumbs up” meant he was to be killed.
