The 2010 historical-action war film Centurion is loosely based on the disappearance of the Roman Empire's Ninth Legion in Caledonia in the early second century CE. The Ninth Legion, according to one legend, marched into Scotland from York with over 3,000 men and disappeared. However, in recent years, historians have disputed the fate of the legion; some believe they were disbanded, while others believe they were massacred in Germania or in the East fighting the Persians during the early years of the second century. Dr. Miles Russell of Bournemouth University observed there is strong evidence for a catastrophic British war resulting in the annihilation of the legion early in the reign of Hadrian. In recent years, the tide of academic opinion seems to be returning to the view that the Legion was probably wiped out in Britain. With all that in mind, writer/director Neil Marshall said of his take of the story:
"It's not meant to be historically perfect. I'm picking up on a legend and exploring it... it's an action thriller."
The result is a film not meant to represent the true history , but rather a postulation. And an entertaining one at that! Stay tuned!
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