With Gladiator II thrusting into cinematic arenas next month, we hand out laurels to the greatest sword-and-sandal movies of them all

I. Spartacus (1960)
II. Gladiator (2000)
III. Ben-Hur (1959)
IV. Cleopatra (1963)
V. Caligula: the Ultimate Cut (2023)
VI. Quo Vadis (1951)
VII. The Sign of the Cross (1932)
VIII. Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
IX. Cleopatra (1934)
X. Fellini Satyricon (1969)
XI. Julius Caesar (1953)
XII. Carry On Cleo (1964)
XIII. The Eagle (2011)
XIV. Sebastiane (1976)
XV. Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)
XVI. The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
XVII. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
XVIII. Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)