Nel Segno di Roma

Sheba and the Gladiator is a 1959 historical drama film loosely pertaining to the Palmyrene Empire and its re-annexation back into the Roman Empire. Cast Anita Ekberg as Zenobia Georges Marchal as Consul Marcus Valerius Folco Lulli as Zemanzius Chelo Alonso as Erica Gino Cervi as Aurelian Jacques Sernas as Julianus Lorella De Luca as Batsheba Alberto Farnese as Marcello Mimmo Palmara as Lator Production Sheba the Gladiator was shot in 1958. Director Guido Brignone fell ill during the production on the film leading to two other directors to enter the production to help complete it: Michelangelo Antonioni and Riccardo Freda. For Antonioni, he visited Brignone in the hospital and reported on what he filmed and received instructions for the next day. Freda was in charge shooting the battle scenes which he did with cinematographer Mario Bava and Antonioni working with cinematographer Luciano Trasatti shooting the indoor scenes. Other people credited to the film included Sergio Leone as a screenwriter. Mimmo Palmara commented that Antonioni "couldn't care less" about the film and "didn't direct the actors." Freda had an argument with Palmara and unsuccessfully tried to court Chelo Alonso on set.