Continuity mistake: At the end of the battle with Tigris of Gaul, Maximus kills the tiger that leaps on top of him and throws it off to the side. In the next shot the tiger is back on top of him and he has to fight with it laying on his stomach. Later the tiger is once again off to the side. (01:42:15)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus says "On my signal, unleash hell" he takes off with his horse. Then he rides through a stand with soldiers and the soldiers gets up on their feet. Then it cuts to a close-up of Maximus riding and as the camera zooms out the soldiers gets on their feet again. (00:05:30)
Revealing mistake: In the "Battle of Carthage," towards the end just after the repeater crossbow has been fired, we see one of Maximus's fellow gladiators running towards one of the fallen chariot riders. You can clearly see the spike that he kills the chariot rider with moving as he runs, suggesting that it was made of a softer, safer material. (01:23:25)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus tells Aurelius he will sacrifice a hundred bulls to honor his triumph, the snowflakes on his head differ between the shots. (00:15:50)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus screams "Am I not merciful?" in Lucilla's face, we see him holding Lucilla by her jaw bone. When it cuts his hand has moved to her chin. (02:10:05)
Continuity mistake: After Hagen has faked choking Juba start laughing. Then it cuts to Maximus slowly starting to laugh. In the next shot we can see both Hagen and Maximus laughing, but Juba is dead serious now. Then in the following shot behind Juba we can see him laughing again. (01:36:35)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus is on a horse pursuing the chariot with the female gladiator throwing a spear at him and misses, we can see there is an extra spear standing on the chariot. Then Maximus throws his spear and when it cuts to the spear hitting the female gladiator the spear in the chariot is suddenly gone. (01:23:45)
Continuity mistake: When Richard Harris is talking to his daughter about her future, the fire lamp behind them changes positions between shots. (00:20:15)
Continuity mistake: At the very start of the film when we see Maximus for the first time, he is talking to his friend Quintus. Two boys run past, yet when it cuts to another shot they have vanished. We should have been able to see them at least running off in the background somewhere. (00:03:40)
Continuity mistake: After the Gladiators are victorious at the Battle of Carthage, Maximus reveals his identity to Commodus. The time seems to change from sunset to high noon a number of times. The crowd shots are at noon, the close ups are clearly made with the sun on one side of their faces. (01:27:20)
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)
Revealing mistake: When Juba kills the gladiator lying on the ground during the Battle of Carthage with his helmet, we can actually see Juba hitting the ground beside the gladiator's head. Then we see blood splash up from the ground beside his head. (01:23:25)
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)
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)
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 Commodus and Lucilla are lying in bed, after Commodus tries to seduce her for a kiss, he lowers his arm and says "You know I love you". When it cuts he suddenly has his hand lying on her shoulder. (01:57:40)
Revealing mistake: When Maximus goes up against the 6 gladiators by himself, the fourth gladiator (carrying an axe and wearing a large helmet) he slashes across the right side right above the belt. You can tell the slash doesn't cut, but leaves a trail of blood and in the next shot the blood disappears entirely. (01:06:55 - 01:07:00)
Continuity mistake: When the gladiators have won inside the coliseum for their first battle, Commodus goes to see Maximus in the arena. In the previous shot, Maximus gets off of a white horse, yet in the following shot, the white horse is at the bottom of the screen with Maximus and the other gladiators some distance away. (01:25:35)
Continuity mistake: After the final fight scene when Maximus is on the ground, Lucilla is kneeling above him. When her face is shown, it is blocking out the sun. And yet, when the shot shows Maximus's face, there is no shadow. (02:18:50)
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)
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