Who were Emperors Caracalla and Geta? Gladiator II’s Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger characters explained
Sir Ridley Scott's sequel features two notorious emperors.
One of the most iconic components of the original Gladiator film by Sir Ridley Scott is the monumental performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the tyrannical Emperor Commodus.
So, how would the maestro director follow up Commodus with which figures reside in the imperial household?
Well, in Gladiator II there are not one, but two tyrannical emperors in the form of twin brothers Geta and Caracalla – with two theatrical turns from two rising stars in Hollywood.
So, who were the real Emperor Caracalla and Geta and what happened to them? Plus, who portrays them in Gladiator II?
Who were Emperors Caracalla and Geta?
As both Co-Emperors of the Roman Empire and brothers, Caracalla and Geta did not have a pleasant relationship.
The pair initially ruled alongside their father, Emperor Septimus Severus, who hoped that upon his death they would continue to rule side-by-side.
Unlike in the film, Caracalla and Geta were not twin siblings, with Caracalla being the older of the two.
However, the brothers proved incapable of sharing their rule and even considered splitting the Roman Empire between them but this was prevented by their influential mother, Julia Domna.
What happened to Emperor Geta?
In the end, the feud between the two powerful brothers proved too great and Caracalla had Geta murdered while attending a peace meeting with their mother. The younger brother died in their mother's arms.
Following this, Caracalla had 20,000 men and women either murdered or proscribed for being the followers of Geta.
What happened to Emperor Caracalla?
The tyrant Emperor Caracalla would rule for a further six years and campaigned away from Rome with military disasters.
Caracalla himself was not interested in the day-to-day minutiae or ruling and left much to his mother, instead pursuing his military endeavours and expensive architectural endeavours
Eventually, Caracalla was murdered by one of his soldiers from the Praetorian Guard in what is now modern-day Turkey.
In the aftermath of his death and the ascension of Emperor Macrinus, Caracalla's mother Julia Domna ended her own life.
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Who plays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II?
British actor Joseph Quinn portrays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II.
Quinn is best known for his role as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things season 4 and has since gone on to star in films such as Horde and A Quiet Place: Day One.
The actor will soon be seen joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as The Human Torch/Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Who plays Emperor Caracalla in Gladiator II?
American actor Fred Hechinger portrays Emperor Caracalla in Gladiator II.
Hechinger is best known for his roles in the first season of The White Lotus and Pam & Tommy, along with film roles in Eighth Grade, News of the World, and The Woman in the World.
He is due to portray Chameleon/Dmitri Smerdyakov in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe film Kraven the Hunter.
Read More:
- Gladiator recap: Everything you need to remember before watching Gladiator 2
- Gladiator 2 soundtrack: Which songs are in the score and more?
- Gladiator II review: A sturdy sequel that revels in its more ludicrous qualities
- Will there be a Gladiator 3? Latest news on possible sequel
Gladiator 2 will arrive in cinemas on Friday 15th November.
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Authors
Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.
