The book is by FAR better.

Rating: 5/10 (6 August 2007)

I read the book, and was excited when I heard they were making a movie. Alas, I was already disappointed when I saw the trailer. They screwed up half the story in just 3 minutes for me. And, as if it could not get worse, they got all the costuming wrong. Can't Hollywood just make a historic view of the roman world. Example: they show the Roman legionaries (The LATE ones) with helmets that weren't even real. They are a Chinese interpretation of a coolus helmet. Further more, the shields are wrong (Not at the end, I mean before they find the 2nd century stuff.) The Late Roman Army had round shields, and they looked more barbarian (since they employed barbarians). The tunics and costuming are all wrong, the helmets are wrong. And in the end, where they find the 2nd century arms and armor, the Lorica Segmentatas are all made of leather. THIS IS A GRAVE ERROR THAT Hollywood AND CO. KEEP REPEATING! I see it too much. If you want to see what Romans looked like in the 2nd century, go to www.legiosix.org, and if you want Late Romans, go to Fectio. (google it)