ria ▁Mac iste ▁made ▁his ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁Italian ▁silent ▁movie ▁classic ▁Cab i ria . ▁Cab i ria ▁is ▁a ▁story ▁about ▁a ▁slave ▁named ▁Mac iste ▁( play ed ▁by ▁Bart ol ome o ▁P ag ano ) ▁who ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁rescue ▁of ▁a ▁Roman ▁prin cess ▁named ▁Cab i ria ▁( play ed ▁by ▁L idia ▁Qu ar anta ) ▁from ▁an ▁evil ▁Car th agin ian ▁priest ▁who ▁pl otted ▁to ▁sacrifice ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁cruel ▁god ▁Mol och . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁based ▁very ▁lo os ely ▁on ▁Sal amm bo , ▁a ▁historical ▁novel ▁by ▁Gust ave ▁F la ub ert , ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁plot ▁and ▁screen play ▁by ▁Gab rie le ▁D ' An n un z io . ▁ ▁Mac iste ' s ▁debut ▁set ▁the ▁tone ▁for ▁his ▁later ▁advent ures . ▁In cluding ▁Cab i ria ▁itself , ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁at ▁least ▁ 5 2 ▁mov ies ▁featuring ▁Mac iste , ▁ 2 7 ▁of ▁them ▁being ▁pre - 1 9 2 7 ▁silent ▁films ▁st arring ▁Bart ol ome o ▁P ag ano ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁ 2 5 ▁being ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁sound ▁and ▁color ▁films ▁produced ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Typ ical ▁plots ▁involve ▁ty ran n ical ▁r ul ers ▁who ▁practice ▁v ile ▁mag ical ▁rit uals ▁or ▁worship ▁evil ▁gods . ▁Typ ically , ▁the ▁young ▁woman ▁who ▁is ▁the