Rome - Review

"Only tyrants need worry about tyrant killers" – A review of Rome. 

I love ancient history. I was always one of those children who was obsessed with mythology and legends, with Ancient Greece and Egypt, and, of course, Rome. When I watch a historical drama, I always hope for attention to detail and historical accuracy alongside being genuinely entertaining – so did Rome live up to this?

Rome is a gritty historical drama which follows the violent and bloody transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. It's set in the 1st century BC and follows plenty of political figures, such as Mark Antony and Julius Caesar, as well as the lives of fictional soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, who directly influence some of the major events in the series.

There are some outstanding performances from the cast in Rome, including Ciarán Hinds as Julius Caesar, James Purefoy as Mark Antony and Kevin McKidd as Lucius Vorenus. The series offers a nuanced portrayal of both legendary and lesser-known figures, which I absolutely love – this drives home the fact that this isn't just myth, this is history, and real people lived through it. The chemistry between the actors, particularly McKidd and Ray Stevenson (Titus Pullo), adds so much depth and authenticity to the story, making their journey so compelling to watch. Each character we meet is deeply human, flawed and often morally ambiguous, and it's fascinating to watch them explore their own personal dilemmas alongside the great historical events.

Regarding historical accuracy, Rome does a great job of recreating the customs, costumes and politics of ancient Rome, but also the atmosphere; we don't see a romanticised Rome but a gritty, dirty city, full of narrow, waste filled streets. The sets are huge, and as you watch you feel as if you're in the middle of the crowded streets alongside the characters. Sure, there are some creative choices made to heighten the drama, but this adds to the narrative rather than distracting from it.

Pacing is the one slight criticism I have for Rome. There are times when things feel rushed, which is likely due to budget constraints – this was a fantastically expensive TV show to create – and this can lead to the compression of major historical events. With that being said, I still really enjoyed all I watched, I just wanted more of it!

Rome was a violent place, and the show doesn't shy away from that, either. You can expect gladiator battles and murder, and it's often very graphic. This simply adds to the realism though; the show is brutal and complex because ancient Rome was brutal and complex.

Overall, Rome was a fantastic show which I'd highly recommend. I've heard it said that Rome was Game of Thrones before we had Game of Thrones, and I agree – except thankfully, Rome has a much better ending.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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