Russell Crowe, who won an Oscar for the role of Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott’s wildly successful movie “Gladiator” in 2000, was honored in Rome on October 14. The 58-year-old actor was awarded a plaque and granted the title of “ambassador of Rome in the world” to acknowledge the ties he and the movie share with the Eternal City.
Crowe was welcomed by Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri at City Hall which sits atop the ancient Capitoline Hill and features a sweeping view of the ancient Roman Forum. Speaking in Italian, the actor said “I am always at the service of Rome.”
Scott’s smash-hit “Gladiator” tracked the sweeping and often emotional story of Maximus Decimus Meridius, a former Roman general who was forced into slavery as a gladiator and triumphed in the Colosseum despite the odds. An exciting portrayal of Ancient Rome, the movie instantly captured hearts around the world and, 22 years later, is still among the most popular movies to date.
Over the summer, Crowe and his family visited Rome, with the actor sharing a series of photos of his adventures with his nearly three million Twitter followers. Tweets included a selfie in front of the Colosseum with the caption “taking the kids to see my old office,” and a photo of the Trevi Fountain, which the actor stated was “one of my favorite places in the universe.”
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy, currently pursuing her master's in journalism at New York University (NYU). In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, and The Christian Science Monitor. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.