Rome in the year 33 AD: The stiff-necked young tribune Marcellus Galleo incurs the displeasure of the emperor's nephew Caligula and is therefore banished to the garrison of Jerusalem. Galleo takes his Greek slave Demetrius with him. In Jerusalem, he is entrusted with a routine task at the time: he is to supervise the crucifixion of three men. In a game of dice, Marcellus wins the only belongings of the man on the middle cross - his robe. While he hears the dying words of the man on the cross, Marcellus is almost driven mad by fear and guilt, because he believes that the garment is bewitched. Demetrius, who has become a follower of the dead man, steals Marcellus' robe and runs away. The story of how Marcellus achieves his robe, his peace of mind and his redemption with the help of the beautiful Diana, this is told in this film - one of the most spectacular, elaborate and moving Hollywood productions.