This series is a reasonably successful attempt at giving a broad overview of the history of ancient Rome, with 6 episodes. each focusing on one key historical event. In chronological order (not the order in which they were first broadcast):
As a whole, the series's great merit is to give a good sense of the passage of the centuries: in terms of costumes, military equipment, look, "feel", it does succeed in showing that the Republican Rome of Gracchus's time was a different place than the Rome of the Late Empire in Constantine's time - despite a clearly limited budget. In this, this series is already more successful than most other movies of series.
Also, again as a whole, it does give a reasonably accurate portrayal of events, in a "broad-brush" way.
However, if you zoom in for a more detailed look - - there are several inaccuracies and what seemed to me to be total inventions, like presenting Constantine's vision of "in this sign thou shalt conquer" was actually a meteorite hit fairly nearby - that is a theory I had never heard of before. Generally speaking, it seemed to be that "Rebellion" was the episode least guilty of obvious errors, and in my opinion was the best episode overall, with convincing portrayals of Vespasian, Titus and Josephus.
I also found convincing how they portrayed Honorius in the "Fall" episode (an emperor about whom very little is known as a person) and also Constantine, as a mix of warlord, backstabbing politician and messianic leader. I did not like so much how they portrayed Nero (Michael Sheen is entertaining but inaccurate, I think) and Caesar.
Overall worth watching, especially "Rebellion" and "Revolution".
- "Revolution" - the career of Tiberius Gracchus until his death in 133BC, presented as the beginning of the long process of transition from the Republic to the Empire;
- "Caesar" - the career of Julius Caesar., mainly from Alesia to Pharsalus. then briefly jumping to his assassination in 44BC;
- "Nero" - the later half of Nero's reign. from the Great Fiire in 64 AD to his downfall four years later;
- "Rebellion" - the main events of the Jewish War, with a brief epilogue showing Titus as emperor in 80AD
- "Constantine" -the reign of Constantine. from the Battle of the Milvian Bridge to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD
- "The Fall of Rome" - the sack of Rome by the Visigoths under Alaric in 410AD
As a whole, the series's great merit is to give a good sense of the passage of the centuries: in terms of costumes, military equipment, look, "feel", it does succeed in showing that the Republican Rome of Gracchus's time was a different place than the Rome of the Late Empire in Constantine's time - despite a clearly limited budget. In this, this series is already more successful than most other movies of series.
Also, again as a whole, it does give a reasonably accurate portrayal of events, in a "broad-brush" way.
However, if you zoom in for a more detailed look - - there are several inaccuracies and what seemed to me to be total inventions, like presenting Constantine's vision of "in this sign thou shalt conquer" was actually a meteorite hit fairly nearby - that is a theory I had never heard of before. Generally speaking, it seemed to be that "Rebellion" was the episode least guilty of obvious errors, and in my opinion was the best episode overall, with convincing portrayals of Vespasian, Titus and Josephus.
I also found convincing how they portrayed Honorius in the "Fall" episode (an emperor about whom very little is known as a person) and also Constantine, as a mix of warlord, backstabbing politician and messianic leader. I did not like so much how they portrayed Nero (Michael Sheen is entertaining but inaccurate, I think) and Caesar.
Overall worth watching, especially "Rebellion" and "Revolution".