Character of the Week

Juba

Slave, gladiator, warrior, companion, brother in arms, and in the end a free man.

Juba was truly a brother in arms for Maximus throughtout the movie, The Gladiator. They met when Maximus was sold by slavers to be a gladiator for a famous trainer named Proximo. In Maximus’ first match as a gladiator he was paired with Juba, and together they destroyed the stadium. While Maximus’ military training provided his group of gladiators with an advantage, Juba, his right hand, was a fearful warrior in battle. They fought their was through to slums of Mauretania Caesariensis to Rome’s famed Colosseum.

At the Colosseum, Juba fought alongside Maximus, winning many battles with odds staked against them. In the end, Juba was made a free man and he holds the final scene of the movie. He buries the figurines of Maximus’s wife and son at the spot where Maximus died. He spoke a promise to see Maximus again, but not yet. While, yes, The Gladiator is about Maximus, Juba deserves his own recognition.

We hope you join us this week as we celebrate Juba with the Character of the Week title.

Thank you for your time and remember, deep roots are not reached by the frost.

– The Wandering One