Veni, Vidi, Vici with a Flair: HBO’s Rome

By Jonathan Berohn

In keeping with their usual high standards for series, the folks at HBO behind Rome have churned out another top-notch drama in Rome.

This historically based series takes place during the time of Julius Caesar, and not only brings alive the ancient Rome we usually only get to read about, but it also keeps the action and drama moving so quickly and cleverly that that there is never time to get bored or distracted.

The Story

Rome starts with Pompey and Caesar’s struggle over who should rule the Roman Empire.  To keep from boring you with classical history, rest assured that Caesar, in fact, emerges victorious.  Of course, we all know this, and the producers and writers on Rome are aware of this, too.  They are also aware that classics history can easily degenerate into something painfully dull.  That’s where the first dramatic conceit comes in.

Rather than simply follow Caesar, Pompey, and Mark Antony around. In what undoubtedly would degenerate into a stuffy history lessons, Rome picks up the trail of two common soldiers, and traces their exploits along with those of the their more famous superiors.  On the one hand, the coincidences that ensue from these two men appearing at the heart of every major historical event borders on the absurd.  On the other hand, by being able to identify with two more familiar characters, we are much better able to identify with the story that Rome is trying to tell us.  The fact that these two are commoners also lets the creators of Rome give us a glimpse into common Roman life that we usually do not see when we read books or watch movies about famous Romans.

The Acting

The actors and actresses in Rome do a superb job.  By and large, being a British cast, the performers are unknown to American audiences (exceptions include the young actor portraying Octavian, who played a young officer in Master and Commander, and the actor in the role of Lucius Verenus—one of the soldiers mentioned above—who played a crusader in Kingdom of Heaven).  As you might expect from a project HBO undertook jointly with the BBC, the British actors in the series are top notch.  And while it, at first, seems a little strange that ancients Romans speak British English, there is something about British English that gives the actors a sense of the ancient.

One Caution

There is, to be sure plenty of violence, sex, and nudity in Rome.  That’s not to say it’s gratuitous.  It’s certainly in keeping with the historical era.  You should just know it’s in there, and plan your viewing (or not) accordingly.