SO who is watching Rome?

**King Ragnar** · 11-07-2005, 17:00

Originally Posted by Red Peasant

Poor script (someone here compared it to I Claudius, shame on you

), wooden acting, big budget but looks cheap, ham-fisted direction, and the Romans come across as animals with virtually no redeeming characteristics or features at all.

Terrible.

Also note that the Taurobolium ceremony was only introduced to Rome/Italy in C2 AD and originally had to be performed by a male priest who represented the god Attis being re-born in a kind of fertility rite. By C3 and C4 AD it is thought that women could also take part. The site of Rome's venue for the rite was St Peter's!

Have to disagree with you mate it seems very good and i cant wait for the next episode.

**Red Peasant** · 11-07-2005, 17:39

I'm glad you like it. Hopefully it will improve for me!

But, as for script and acting, compare it to the other big BBC production of the year, Dickens's Bleak House .... there is no comparison, the latter is far, far superior (and not tied to HBO!).

**Oaty** · 11-07-2005, 20:25

The director had to have his head up his butt for episode 8

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**Sigurd** · 11-08-2005, 15:28

Originally Posted by oaty

The director had to have his head up his butt for episode 8

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

That was in episode 10...

**Prodigal** · 11-08-2005, 16:47

Originally Posted by Red Peasant

But, as for script and acting, compare it to the other big BBC production of the year, Dickens's Bleak House .... there is no comparison, the latter is far, far superior

I have to agree with that, BUT you also have to rember that Bleak House was written by Dickens, so all they need is costumes & someone to cut a few bits out here & there from the book.

Now Rome they had to write all by themselves, & although I hesitate to criticise HBO writers, they're not quite up there with Dickens yet, at least I doubt people will be whatching it a hundered years from now.

I think its gotta be taken at face value as an eye candyesque piece of expensive TV. Personally was hoping for something of the same quality as Band of Brothers, but guess stuff like that doesn't come along often.

**Xiahou** · 11-08-2005, 16:28

Originally Posted by King Ragnar

Have to disagree with you mate it seems very good and i cant wait for the next episode.

I watch it, but do have some problems with it..... Like why are they wearing chainmail armor? And, I thought roman soldiers werent allowed to marry until they retired? Not to mention their battle depictions are absolutely horrid.

It's an entertaining story, but has some real accuracy issues- plus the gratuitous sex is a bit over the top.

**CBR** · 11-08-2005, 16:39

Hm they did use chain at that time. One thing I do like about the show is that it does try and show how the era was and not make it into 21st century just with togas. But it might have some historical inaccuracies.

CBR

**Ludens** · 11-08-2005, 19:35

Originally Posted by Xiahou

I watch it, but do have some problems with it..... Like why are they wearing chainmail armor? And, I thought roman soldiers werent allowed to marry until they retired? Not to mention their battle depictions are absolutely horrid.

Chainmail armour is correct: lorica segmentata wouldn't be used until Augustus' reign, and then it still took some time before it was in common use. Also, the "battles" are just skirmishes. I agree they are rather one-sided (which is only to be expected with the pace of the series), but I have seen far worse.

Originally Posted by Xiahou

It's an entertaining story, but has some real accuracy issues- plus the gratuitous sex is a bit over the top.

You are probably right about that, particularly the sex. However, if you are watching the BBC broadcasts, the Belgian ones contain even more! (Canvas also broadcasts the series on Mondays at nine o'clock GMT. They are showing an uncut version that contains several bits not present in British series. Not that these bits are important though, they are mostly small and unnecessary and often bad.)