Russell Crowe speaks these words as the (completely fictional) Roman general Maximus near the beginning of the movie “Gladiator”, from 2000.
When I saw the movie at the time, I felt like I should recognize the original source of that line, as it felt quite familiar. Yet all the digging I have done in the past week or so after this resurfaced in my mind (after seeing a rerun showing of the movie on cable) seems to indicate it was written for the movie.
Can anybody tell me otherwise?
I did a little google digging, but nothing’s coming up. Also, it’s “On my signal, unleash hell!”
A couple of random snippets from random forums seem to suggest that “Unleash hell” might have been a battle cry during the Punic Wars, but nothing even close to definitive!
Incidentally what would “unleash hell” have meant in pre-Christian times ?
Google Books search for books previous to 1999 (Gladiator came out in 2000) which mention “Unleash Hell”
Just a couple of worthwhile hits:
-And we’re about to unleash hell
-this weapon could unleash hell
“Unleashed Hell” yields a few more hits.
Hell, as a concept, predates christianity.
That said, in that usage, it’s probably not an exact translation from Latin to English.
My understanding is that the modern english word is derived from Norse and adapted to replace other words in the earlier versions of the bible such as Hades or Gehenna.
Though I thought Greco-roman pagan “hell” was more similar to Christian purgatory, not something you’d benefit from “unleashing” on your enemy 
That line always reminded me a bit of “Cry, ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war,” from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Other than that, I got nothin’.
Right, what we would equivocate to hell - hades was nothing more than the greco roman afterlife. waiting for rebirth…
Most likely any Roman battle cry would invoke Mars or another god of war. But invoking the god of the dead upon your enemy seems suitible. I suspect, assuming the absurd concept that the movie quote is a translation of a period battle command, that “Unleash the wrath of Hades” would not be far fetched. Even in Roman times, the greek names were sometimes used. But “Unleash the wrath of Pluto” doesn’t have quite the same ring.
In my estimation, Maximus would have invoked a god, rather than a location. In translating, the translator misread the name of a god for that of a location and thus mistranslated.
Though the term Havoc was a medieval expression. “Crying havoc” meant ordering the troops to go batshiat and loot/pilliage/rape at will:
I seem to remember reading a quote from Crowe saying he just kinda made it up on the spur of the moment. I guess it’s a line that alot of people have been curious about.
Pluto was also the god of wealth (remember gold, silver, etc all come from underground) so what would’ve made for a rather confusing battle cry.
Dogs bury things, so I guess that makes sense.
“Strength and honor”, another famous line from that scene, was Crowe’s high school motto.
He could emulate the oaths used in HBO’s Rome: “On my signal, unleash Pluto’s thorny cock! Well, what are you waiting for, man? By Juno’s cunt, must I slap you?”
“On my signal, stand around moping!”
Ancient Romans did curse by Father Dis, though.
What’s struck me though, is that if we’re talking about ‘unleashing’ something, surely a Roman commander would think “Unleash Cerberus!” - perhaps?
But I see now that Cerberus is not really ever shown as being on a leash. Well then.
Cite? If you’re thinking that has something to do with “plutocrat,” it doesn’t. (ploutos is Greek for wealth, but Pluto was a Roman god)
You might have heard it in video games released after/around the same time. IIRC, the siege weapons’ commanders in Rome:Total War also shout “unleash hell !”. So do (again, IIRC) the Imperial Guard soldiers in Warhammer40k : Dawn of War.
I never played (or saw) either of those games, but would those not have been a reference to Maximus’ phrasing from “Gladiator” though? Just as I believe the little Roman Centurion commander figurine (Octavius) in “A Night At The Museum” also says the “unleash Hell” line. That movie came out in 2006, certainly long enough after “Gladiator” (which won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2000) to be fodder for jokes and references.
I checked on Wikipedia and they give these release dates for those games:
“Rome: Total War” released on Sept. 22, 2004
“Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War” released on Sept. 20, 2004
So it seems “Gladiator” is the source of the line, in popular use anyway.