“Friends, Romans, countrymen. Lend me your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.”
William Shakespeare told the tragic tale of the fall of the Roman Republic in his classic work, Julius Caesar. Written and produced in 1599, the play told the story of the final days of Caesar. And in turn, the final days of the republic. Julius Caesar is the most famous of all the Romans. And for good reason. His name is synonymous with power, tyranny and authority. But he was still a man. And the tragedy that was his life and assassination makes for a breath-taking narrative. And with HBO, you are always in for something to take your breath away. ROME is an HBO Classic.
Originally released on August 28, 2005, Rome tells the story of the final wars of the Roman Republic. By this point in history, Rome was the dominant force in the Mediterranean. The Romans had conquered the Greeks, the Macedonians, the Samnites and their greatest foes, the Carthaginians. They ruled all Europe, but could not rule themselves. Corruption, greed and warmongering was everywhere. Only the corrupt could rule. Only the greedy could eat. And only the warmongers could gain power. In steps Caesar. Just as corrupt as the rest of them, but better by far. Caesar’s rise to power was something to behold. He had more wit than his enemies, with more political savvy. But more than anything, he was the best Military Commander of them all.
The Gallic War is what made Caesar as famous as he is today. Modern France, Switzerland and Belgium were all conquered by this Patrician from Rome. That is where the show begins episode 1 – The final battle of Alesia. The King of the Gauls was defeated and captured, and Caesar could finally turn his attention back to Italy. Having spent 9 years conquering the Gauls, Caesar was famous, popular, rich and powerful. His enemies hated and feared him. HBO’s Rome takes you on this perilous Roman politics journey, where you find out how the famous Senate operates and how the plebs and the nobles hated each other. Pompey, once Caesar’s true friend and ally – who married Caesar’s daughter – was now turning against his old friend. The jealousy of the Senators was only bested by their fear of Caesar and his power. Caesar was generous and merciful. But he was cunning and devious. He would conquer. Then he would pardon. His friends and foes alike hated that about him. But Caesar was playing the long game.
The show shines best in the look and feel of everything. Authenticity was key in production. Clothing, street markets and apartments that you see on screen are a mirror image of what you might have found in the city of Rome 2000 years ago. Moreover, the show was HBO’s most expensive show before Game of Thrones, with an estimated budget of $10 million per episode. Ciaran Hinds, who plays the role of Julius Caesar also played the role of Mance Rayder, the King Beyond the Wall, in Game of Thrones. The actor brings the ruthless calmness that was Julius Caesar onto the screen with such ease. Through his eyes, you can see the man thinking four steps ahead of everyone else. It is all just such a joy to watch.
Sadly, due to budget constraints, Rome, only ran for two seasons, before being cancelled prematurely. Bruno Heller, the show’s creator was halfway through writing season two when he was informed that he would not be afforded any more seasons. This caused him to speed through a lot of historical narratives that could have done well with some fleshing out. Stories such as King Herod. Anthony and Cleopatra or the eventual birth of Jesus Christ. These historical moments were within a couple of generations of each other and it is an eternal fascination of mine.
That being said, HBO’S Rome hits the nail on the head. It brings the politics of the Roman age to light and for that, it is my recommendation of the day.