Wednesday 29 June 2011

"Rome" - This shit is bananas


I just finished watching the second 6 episodes of Rome, Season 1, and I thoroughly enjoyed them, I love all series like this (Rome, Spartacus, Game of Thrones etc).

I did not do History at school and have zero knowledge of roman times and who is who and what went on in regards to power and politics but watching this series really has opened my mind and introduced me to a variety of characters I wasn't all that familiar with whilst also filling me in on WTF actually happened back then.

Obviously I've heard the name "Gaius Julius Caesar" but I wasn't familiar with the likes of "Pompey", "Lucius Vorenus", "Titus Pullo", "Mark Antony","Marcus Junius Brutus", "Octavius/Octavian/Augustus", "Atia of the Julii", "Servilia of the Junii" and the other families, friends and associates of the city of Rome.

There are only 12 episodes in season 1 but each and everyone has a brilliant 45-50 minutes of plots, fights, action, schemes, politics, dirty tricks, backstabbing, you know...the usual romans day to day jibe.

The series primarily chronicles the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful, and "historically significant," but also focuses on the lives, fortunes, families, and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, two Roman soldiers mentioned historically in Caesar's "Commentarii de Bello Gallico".

(English) "Commentaries on the Gallic War" is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.

The fictionalized Vorenus and Pullo manage to witness and often influence many of the historical events presented in the series.

The first season depicts Julius Caesar's civil war of 49 BC against the traditionalist conservative faction in the Roman Senate (Optimates), his subsequent rise to absolute dictatorship over Rome, and his eventual fall, spanning the time period from the end of his Gallic Wars (52 BC ) until his assassination on 15 March 44 BC (the infamous Ides of March).

I felt really bad for poor Caesar when they did the assassination scene, he got jumped by a group of senators and just got the shit stabbed out of him before being finished off by Brutus, I mean I know he was a bit of a mean bastard and was trying to be the top dog but no man should be put through that!

Against the backdrop of these cataclysmic events, we also see the early years of the young Octavian, who is destined to become the first Emperor of Rome, Augustus. The second season chronicles the power struggle between Octavian and Mark Antony following Caesar's assassination, spanning the period from Caesar's death in 44 BC to Octavian's final victory over Antony at Actium in 31 BC.

I just have to watch Season 2 now to see how everyone gets on, I know it's history and the sort of things I should already know about but as I say, I didn't study any of this at school.

I loved how the characters were developed and each of their stories explained throughout the series, excellently made, brilliant cast and I would have to give it a 10/10...

Here's a bunch of the cast, untagged, watch the series ;)

8 comments:

  1. It seems like a good series, I might get around to watching it someday.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I try to stay away from these because I am a history major and the fiction sometimes gets mixed up with the non-fiction in my head. Nice review though, I'll get around to watching once I get out of school.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw this when it came out and absolutely loved it. It's brutal.

    ReplyDelete
  4. History buff, here. I might could get into this. Been looking for something new to watch, other than History International re-runs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay, I'll watch the series :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Looks like an interesting series,
    guess I'll check it out!
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for one's marvelous posting! I definitely enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and may come back very soon. I want to encourage you continue your great writing, have a nice morning!

    Also visit my web-site - extremesportsgoons.info

    ReplyDelete
  8. Reading these guesses throughout the reception is entertaining and positive to be amusing.
    These compact totes will come in varieties and also you
    need to factor in your price per print. While starting out
    it is best to start from stickers you can print on details, meticulous and
    thoughtful consideration of their production materials and production technology.
    You can still get them.

    Feel free to surf to my page - create stickers

    ReplyDelete