Continuity mistake: In the middle of the film, just after the last gladiator match in the Roman province arena, Maximus goes to see Proximo. In one particular shot we see Proximo walk away and Maximus turn his whole body to face him, yet in the following shot, it is just his head that is turned. (01:07:05)
Other mistake: When Proximo says "Use this" to Maximus and throws him a piece of body armor, it is not the same armor he uses in the scenes that follow. (01:10:00 - 01:12:55)
Continuity mistake: In one scene, where you see a view of the Colosseum and its flags, all the flags are pointing towards the middle and that's strange keeping in mind the wind comes from one direction. (01:11:45)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus is standing over his nephew Lucius, touching his face while he slept, his sister Lucilla enters the room and you hear only her footsteps, but he is then standing at the end of the bed out of reach of Lucius. He does not have time to make that move. (01:12:30)
Continuity mistake: When Lucilla is making tonic for Commodus there is a close-up of her hand mixing the tonic. We can see on the table there is nothing near the glass except for a purple bottle which is probably 5 centimeters from the glass. When it cuts and she puts away the spoon she tips something over on the table right next to the glass. However it can't be the purple bottle because it would have to be closer to the glass in order for Lucilla to hit it. (01:12:55)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus and the other gladiators are walking up to the Coliseum in Rome, the black guy walking with him is about 2 to 3 feet away from him. When the camera cuts to a face shot, they are shoulder to shoulder. (01:14:35)
Factual error: There's a blackboard in one of the scenes when there's about to be a gladiatorial contest. The Romans may have had blackboards then, but the writing on it is wrong. The sort shown takes time to chip into stone used on statues, etc, and I suppose it would take quite a long time just to write things on a blackboard. The Romans had different writing for things like that, as shown in the graffiti in Pompeii. It's more flowing, and I expect it's quicker to produce. (01:15:00)
Continuity mistake: At the Coliseum when the crowd is placing bets, you can see a man writing on a blackboard. He stops writing and turns around. When it cuts back to a closeup he turns around again. (01:15:05)
Factual error: Before Maximus enters the colliseum, he selects a helmet and places it on his head. On the rack is a copy of a saxon helmet found at Sutton Hoo, England and part of the treasure found at that location. Unfortunately this is a 7th century design. (01:17:45)
Revealing mistake: When Maximus and friends are viewing the Rome Colosseum for the first time, the video raises to show the full length of the Colosseum. At the top birds are flying over it but some fly and disappear into nothingness. (01:18:44)
Audio problem: Before the first battle in the Colosseum there is a speech about Hannibal by Cassius. He says "Ferocious mercenaries and warriors from all brute nations bent on merciless destruction conquest." As he says "Conquest" it cuts to a closeup of the gladiators. Look at the crowd in the background. They are getting up while cheering and clapping. However you can't hear anything else than the speech. (01:20:05)
Continuity mistake: When Lucilla is talking with Gracchus and Gaius about Commodus and she says "He must die", we see Gracchus in the background looking at Lucilla. When it cuts he is looking down lifting his head to look at Lucilla. (Extended version only). (01:21:10)
Continuity mistake: During the battle of Carthage, Hagen stands alone with an arrow in his shield, couple of scenes on, no arrow, couple of scenes on again, an arrow hits his shield. (01:21:20)
Continuity mistake: During the battle of Carthage, Maximus rides past another man standing on the ground and throws a spear into his chest. The man clutches the spear with his right hand as he falls backwards, but when it cuts to him hitting the ground both his hands are out to the side and the spear has suddenly disappeared. (01:21:50)
Continuity mistake: When Hagen is shot in his leg with an arrow he is holding the arrow in his leg. Maximus notices the chariot charging for Hagen and he shouts "Hagen". It cuts to Maximus running against Hagen, but now we can see that there is no arrow in Hagen's foot. When it cuts to Maximus reaching Hagen and pushing him away from the chariot the arrow is back in his leg. (01:22:45)
Visible crew/equipment: In the first battle in the Colosseum, right before the female gladiator gets chopped in half by the chariot, you can see someone in a black outfit wearing what looks like safety or hiking boots driving the chariot. (01:22:50)
Visible crew/equipment: In the "Battle of Carthage" in the Colosseum, one of the chariots is turned over. Once the dust settles you can see a gas cylinder in the back of the chariot. (01:22:55)
Deliberate mistake: When the chariot crashes through the gate we see an explosion coming from both sides of the gate. However there is no reasonable explanation why there would be an explosion, so this was probably done to make the scene look more dramatic. (01:22:55)
Continuity mistake: When the chariot crashes through the gate we see the gates get busted in an exploding inferno. But when it cuts, the gates are intact again. (01:22:55)
Continuity mistake: When the chariot runs in through the gate we see the gate slightly open. When it cuts to the chariots hitting the chain and tipping over the gate is suddenly wide open. It could not have opened that fast. (01:22:55)
Chosen answer: Because they would be the ranking soldiers, and accustomed to being given orders. Being disciplined, they would obey Quintus without question. The legions would necessarily have soldiers assigned to following orders at different times, similar to how a captain would give an order to a full room, and the first mate would be the one to carry out the order.
rswarrior