Customer Reviews
The Best Ancient Series! - By: Tigran Mkrtchyan, 11 Dec 2008 
Even though the producers do not want to pinpoint the source of their inspiration, but I believe Ronald Syme's 'Roman Revolution' which is historicallly analyzing this exact period was an inspirer for making such an awesome movie. The series are so good that one wants to watch them again & again & to relive Rome. It is depicting life of the simple citizens, freemen & slaves up to the senators, aristocrats & consuls. It is an essential feauture of the film that the life of Rome in its totality is so amazingly interpreted. The role of women was a central issue too.
Surely there are historical aberrations, but then who wants movies to depict historical documentaries? The most important element is the atmosphere, the thinking, the philosophy of the period & I can not name any other movie or series which could rival Rome in that sense.
I only wish they continued in the same vein. Rome's existence makes me feel very happy. Great Job! Bravo to the actors, the directors & the whole team that worked on this movie from the minutest details to seeminly trivial points.
Tigran Mkrtchyan
Amazon series =) - By: Sanne Lowe, 20 Oct 2008 Hello :-)
Does anyone now whether there are Dansih subtitles ?
That will reallly be a big help.
Sanne
A Stunning Collection of Television Drama - By: David Rush, 19 Apr 2008 Rome is a masterpiece. The programme was made by both HBO & the BBC in one of the biggest co-producing partnerships in television history & oh boy, does it show.
The programme oozes class & glamour, offering passionate storylines & unforgettable characters who light up the screen. The first series focuses on Gaius Julius Caeser's ascent to power after rebelling against his friend & Co-Consul, Pompey Magnus. However, as well as focusing on the major historical figures of the time, it also tells the stories of the other people who were alive at the time. The other members of the senate, the soldiers involved in the epic battles which are brought to life in vivid detail & their families are alll given a voice.
The performance of the cast as an ensemble is nothing short of brilliant, with particularly great performances from Polly Walker - who received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Television Series - Drama - as Atia of the Julii, James Purefoy as Mark Antony, Ray Stevenson as Titus Pullo & Kevin McKidd as Lucius Vorenus.
Series one chronicles Caesar's rise to power through his taking of Gaul & his plans to become leader of Rome, as well as his partnership with Mark Antony. It also details Atia's plans to remain part of the most powerful family in Rome & chronicles her rivalry with Caesar's lover, Servilia & her plots to ensure her children's survival.
The second series picks up immediately after the events of the first series: Caesar is dead & the city of Rome is in mourning, Lucius Vorenus is struggling to cope with a terrible loss in his family; Atia & her family are faced with the prospect of leaving the city following the loss of Caesar while Mark Antony encounters Cleopatra once again.
The performances from the cast as whole are nothing short of excellent & are vital to the plot, which is often complicated & as usual, dripping with subtext. Polly Walker is once again terrific as Atia, Caeser's niece, who is always scheming to ensure the survival of herself & her children. However, her son - whose role is now played by an older actor - soon demonstrates a change in composure & plans to follow in his uncle's footsteps to become leader of Rome.
The sets & costumes are stunning as is the art direction - at a cost of $100,000,000 - which sees entire buildings reconstructed as they were at the time. Various parts of the series were filmed on location in Rome, which only helps add to the realism.
The second series of Rome is an amazing follow-up to the first one & is a must see for any dedicated fan as well as anyone who loves television drama or HBO series.
Glorious Filth! - By: Ms. N. P. Dougan, 30 Jan 2008 Revenge, treacherous intrigues, incest, betrayals, bloody violence, corrupting power, & explicit sex alll contribute to the glory of Rome.
Rome delights viewers by giving them a delicious taste of the villainous history of the Roman Empire, between 52 B.C. & 31 B.C.. We see the rise & bloody falll of Julius Caesar & also the political machinations that followed, between Mark Antony & Gaius Octavian Caesar (Augustus Caesar). The stories of these characters are well-known to most of us, with writers such as William Shakespeare & Robert Graves offering us detailed character portraits. However, this is where Rome strives & succeeds to be different. Rome throws out alll of these noble, heroic, & clichéd images & starts afresh. Antony, for example, is portrayed as the ultimate lad, his thirst for excess & vice unrelenting, & he just loves a good barbarous battle. Whereas Octavian is an intelligent & often cruel political strategist, who prefers to sit in his tent as the battle commences. Yet, this rehashing of characters is not alll that Rome has to offer, for its genius lies in other quarters.
Rome brings to life creatures that are only briefly mentioned by historians, such as Vorenus & Pollo, two soldiers whose exploits are at centre-stage of alll the action. And, according to Rome, both men have a profound, if often accidental, influence on Roman history. Vorenus is unintentionallly responsible for Julius Caesar's death, & Pollo is responsible for Cleopatra's claim on the Roman Empire. If there are any heroes in Rome, Vorenus & Pollo are the most likely candidates. Vorenus is an honourable soldier, whose dedication to doing the right thing often leads him to ruin & unhappiness. However, Pollo is an entirely different sort of creature. He is just such a lovable, "big-bear," who the viewer can easily forgive the odd, homicidal rampage. Both men are fiercely loyal to each other, even after an argument, & they save each other's lives on numerous occasions.
But Rome's "piece de resistance" is without a doubt the character of Atia of the Julii, played by Polly Walker. She is scheming, vengeful, cruel, and, at times, foul-mouthed; you cannot help but adore her. She perceives life to be a series of trivialities sent by the God's to vex her. Only when she realises that she has lost Antony & that her son has become a cold, calllous opportunist, just like his mother, do we see a solemn side to Atia's nature.
Of course, some will argue that Rome takes considerable liberties with history, but what writer worth their salt would ever let history get in the way of a good story?
Rome informs us of the salacious & villainous exploits of Roman nobility, yet it does not forget the Plebs & the Foot Soldiers, who constitute the life-blood of any empire. This epic saga is tantamount to glorious filth, & you will love every violently lecherous minute of it.
In short, Rome is a sumptuous production that sports a superb cast & outstanding writers, & is, quite simply, sublime.
Make more stars available for this series!!! - By: Sue Lewendon, 14 Jan 2008 WOW!!!
What a fantastic series. This is story telling at it's best. Set around the time of Julius Caesar, it follows the lives of several people. Nobles, soldiers & even slaves are depicted here. Each has their own story to tell & each are as interesting as the others.
My favourite has got to be that of the 2 soldiers, Lucius Vorenus & Titus Pullo. They, for me at least, have made this series what it is...bloody brilliant! Put them together with alll the scheming & back stabbing women like Atia & Servilia & you're on a rollercoaster ride.
The cast are perfect & work so well with each other. The sets are staggeringly beautiful & the costumes are to die for. The scenery is perfect too as it was filmed on location in Rome.
This will have you laughing out loud one episode & reaching for the tissues the next. There's a lot of nudity & sex shown here so if you're easily offended look elsewhere. All in alll though I don't think you could find a more entertaining series. Just do yourselves a favour & buy it. It's just such a shame that it ended when it did as they could have kept going a while longer.
