The opening shot is a close-up of a man's left hand touching wheat as he walks through a wheat field. The reason for the close-up shot could possibly be to keep the man's Identity a secret from the viewer.
However we can tell that he is probably married as he seems to be wearing a wedding ring.
The music being played is tranquil and gives the viewer the impression that the man has been in this field before ... maybe as a child.

It then cuts to a medium head and shoulders shot of what turns out to be our hero in the film. He is deep in thought and looks depressed and worried. As he moves away he spots a bird (a Robin) which might indicate its winter. The bird represents a freedom that the man does not have.

We then see many soldiers on the move after what looks like a tough battle. The camera stops and zooms in slowly through a blue flag waving about to a man with a grey bears and dressed in leather and gold, it's clear that he is someone important within the army... a General type of man.

Our hero the Gladiator walks through / passed his men and it is clear he commands their respect.
The battle has in fact not happened yet and the enemy send back a scouts headless body as a rider on a horse. This means the enemy are not prepared to give up and form in front of the Roman troops ready for battle. The Gladiator bends down and runs his hand through the mud, smells the earth that he might be about to die fighting for. It also shows he is ready to get his hand dirty and fight alongside his soldiers, He wishes his immediate command Strength and Honour, mounts a horse ready and tells the soldiers that at his signal to unleash hell...! The battle is about to start. The Roman troops who are the good guys in the film and clearly a well organised fighting machine and the bad guys ( Germany )
seem like a rabble ready to fight.  The Gladiator rides off to meet a separate team of soldiers on horse back, that seem like they are his own team / fighting squadron. He gives them a rousing pep talk saying that he will be tending his crops soon and they should think were they will be soon, so it can be so.
The music builds the excitement but it reminds me of the music from Pirates of the Caribbean ( I will have to find out if it's the same composer ).

The battle begins with fire being shot towards the bad guys... Hell is raining down on them...!
We see many wide shots of the battle starting with some of the bad guys being struck with fire, arrows and spears. We also see the man with the grey beard, gold and leather costume... still no clue who he is other than he looks regal possibly Cesar. The Gladiators separate troop have set off and are charging through the woods... with him shouting for everyone to stay in line...! They are going to attack the enemy from another side, in a pincer movment. They attack from behind taking the enemy by surprise as they fight our Gladiator is knocked from his horse... now on the floors he is attacked and fights for his life in hand to hand combat. As the battle draws to an end the film and music slow down into almost slow motion as the Romans hack and slay their way to victory. It once again slowly zooms into finish this sequence on the man with the grey beard... who this time looks relived that the Romans have won.
It is almost as if he in pain and that fact that they have won means he will not need to fight.