The Roman Empire is under the harsh rule of Emperor Caracalla, and it's his extreme cruelty that pushes "Marcus" (Gordon Scott) toward becoming a gladiator. He had been protecting princess “Nisa” (Wandisa Guida) as she tried to escape when they were captured and sold into a difficult situation. Their new owner, “Valerio” (Roberto Risso), is an agreeable man who even develops feelings for his captive, but their hopes of freedom are dashed when the emperor orders the deaths of their parents, forcing them into grueling work. "Valerio," consumed by anger over his parents' murders, vows revenge and also wants to marry young “Nisa,” so he searches for them with the intention of helping them escape. That plan doesn’t unfold as expected; instead, facing imminent danger, they are taken to work in the household of the Governor (Charles Borromel), where "Marcus" begins gladiator training. Throughout this time, “Astarte” (Piero Lulli) has been sent from Silesia with instructions to kill her before she can claim the throne that was recently seized. The situation worsens for them when “Nisa” is wrongly accused of being a Christian, and it seems unlikely she’ll receive the same fate as Daniel did. Now "Marcus" must inspire his skilled comrades while awaiting reinforcements from the tenth legion, hoping they will arrive to help in a dramatic confrontation at the Coliseum. There's not much that feels fresh about this story, but it manages to cram a great deal of mythology, murder and chaos into one hundred minutes. It’s disappointing that someone didn’t take the time to write it better or direct with more skill; it could have been a decent adventure film. However, as it stands, it's rather unpolished and predictable, and Gordon Scott delivers a stiff performance. There isn't enough action to match the various events in the colorful story of “Marcus” and “Nisa.” The concept is promising, and perhaps it seemed good on paper, but the final product lacks energy and feels disappointing.

Source on TMDB