Gladiator Proximo

NPC Description

Type: Merchant

[Proximo, the Gladiator]
He is an old man who seeks physical strength and is well known for his tough training, but cares about his pupils as a father. He once was a slave, and later became a great gladiator at the Colosseum in Rome. The emperor Aurelius released him from slavery and now he is training young gladiators.
He contracts mercenaries exclusively for competition.
Location: Near Palatino Plaza in Rome

Beyond Atlantica, history and legend:

Proximo, a character in the 2000 movie Gladiator, was played by Oliver Reed, who died during the production of the movie.

Proximo was a gladiator who was freed by Marcus Aurelius. Afterward, he became a gladiator trainer himself, in the southern providence of Zuccabar. In his slave market, Proximo bought Maximus, and trained him as a gladiator. After a few gladiatorial games, Proximo took his best gladiators to Rome. Maximus and his fellow gladiators win a seemingly impossible match in the arena, and Maximus himself defeats the only undefeated gladiator in Roman History, Tigrus of Gaul. Proximo was then asked to join in a plot to smuggle Maximus out of the city, so that he could return with a Roman Legion and overthrow Commodus. However, Lucius Verus revealed the plan to Commodus, and the Praetorian Guard were sent to seize Maximus by force. Because Proximo was defiant to the Pratorians, and would not let them in his gate, he was stabbed to death in his room.

Source: Nation Master - Encyclopedia