Rome

I got a boxset of Rome last Christmas, and we've been watching it in the last couple of months. Very enjoyable and educational. But not for children! A bit like The Tudors, too much steamy sex and bloody deaths for young eyes. But a great way to become familiar with a period of history that, although studied at school (I did Latin for 3 years), is not that familiar to me.

It's not too intellectual, with a focus on the personal rather than the political, and, as is often the case with period drama, you don't know how much is accurate and what is made up. I wonder about the dresses worn by the ladies - are they an exact representation of the period? Some of the outfits look more elaborate than I would have imagined for the time, but what do I know? Although I do agree with another reviewer that chain mail for soldiers of that era is a tad premature. But again, I can't say I'm an expert! But I feel better now that I see how much research the costume designer, April Ferry, put into the job!

And now I know a lot more about Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra, Pompey, Cicero, and many others. And interesting to read that the two soldiers whose adventures bring a human perspective to the historical events, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, are two actual soldiers mentioned in Caesar's writings! Their adventures are probably mostly made up, but it's a nice touch all the same!

It's a shame that the funding ran out and there were only two seasons (instead of the 5 that were originally planned). But, hey, I've already moved on to my next box set!

PS: And not a note of a Northern Irish accent in actor Ray Stevenson, who plays Titus Pullo. He is from Lisburn!