Continuity mistake: When Maximus has killed the Praetorian and got wounded himself, we see him getting down on his knees and leading his right arm to the wound on his left arm. At this time we can see the sleeve on his right arm is by his elbow. When it cuts to a close-up of his hand we can see the sleeve is down by his wrist. (00:39:30)
Continuity mistake: When Lucius descends the stairs to greet his mother and Commodus, there is a brief close-up sideways which shows, behind them, a banner, and two stones with hieroglyphs. There are in fact several Egyptian obelisks in Rome, that were taken there in antiquity. The only trouble is, it doesn't match with the long shot at all. (Commentary track confirms this was not shot on one existing location - only the four top steps of the stairs were really there). (00:57:31)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus, Juba and the other slave are eating at a table, the big slave pretends he's choking. Juba has his hand on the spoon, yet when it cuts to the next shot, his hand is no longer there. (01:36:30)
Continuity mistake: In the beginning when Maximus says "Lean and hungry. Still nothing?" in which he gets the answer "Not a sign" from Quintus. Watch the soldier behind them handling the catapult. When it cuts that soldier is suddenly gone. (00:03:45)
Continuity mistake: When the Gladiators are fighting the Praetorians so Maximus can escape, they stab Hagen when he is on the ground. Notice that it is in a fast forward-like time. The Praetorians are moving really fast. (02:07:10)
Continuity mistake: During the first gladiator battle there is a shot of Hagen striking a man with an animal skull on his head. In the next shot sand is suddenly 'raining', from out of nowhere, all over Hagen. (00:54:25)
Continuity mistake: When Proximo is talking with the slave dealer and he says "You sold me queer giraffes, I want my money back.", you see him holding a cup with his index finger pointing up. When he takes a sip from the cup his finger is down. (00:46:35)
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: During Maximus's death scene at the end you can clearly see the entrance that Commodus and Maximus entered the arena through in the floor of the arena. After Juba is done burying the figures of Maximus's dead son and wife, you can not see the entrance anymore when he is walking away. (02:21:00 - 02:22:55)
Continuity mistake: After Maximus's family is killed and he is being taken away, he has flashbacks, but one of the images is of him being chained up against the wall, right before his final battle with Commodus - a scene which hasn't even occurred yet.
Continuity mistake: When Proximo gives Maximus his armor the horses have wings. After that they do not.
Continuity mistake: When Maximus stabs Commodus in the neck, in one shot we see his whole neck, and there's no knife in it.
Continuity mistake: When Proximo is about to be killed and says "shadows and dust", the background scenery changes. It is obviously an alternate take from when he says the same thing before Maximus fights Tigris, used because of the death of Oliver Reed, but that doesn't make it any less a mistake. (02:12:15)
Continuity mistake: After Maximus comes out of the tunnel after leaving the gladiator quarters, he sees his friend Cicero. Maximus makes a bird noise to get his attention, Cicero sees him and in an attempt to warn him he yells "Maximus." He startles his horse which runs away but a noose is around his neck so he is pulled off the horse and left hanging there. As soon as the horse leaves him and he starts swinging his hands you can see they are not tied. Then when Maximus runs up to him and holds his feet up to try and save him his hands are tied up. (02:12:50)
Continuity mistake: In the beginning when Commodus and Lucilla are talking and Lucilla says "For now, the first thing I shall do is have a hot bath." you can see she has her hand on her chest. When it cuts Commodus is suddenly holding her hand. (00:13:25)
Continuity mistake: After the first battle when Maximus is washing his hands during the feast, you can see in the close-up of his hands that the wool sleeve on his left hand is thicker than in the other shots. (00:17:05)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus pulls a knife out of Commodus' neck, it's much smaller that it was before.
Continuity mistake: In the Gladiatorial fight scene in Morocco, Maximus throws one sword with his right hand into the stand, still holding a sword in his left hand. The next instant long shot of him shows the remaining sword in his right hand as he taunts the crowd with "Are you not entertained?"
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