OT: Anyone watch Sparticus - blood and sand?

[Conan]

Aired in the UK on Tues.

Was pretty awful if I'm honest, (a lot of slow motion blood spurts and slow motion.. well wrestling moves) although the last 15 mins was actually quite enjoyable... once he got into Rome and started fighting in the arena.

I was just wondering was Thrace quite "civilized/Hellenised" at this point in the classical period? As the Thracian's refering to the Getia as barbarians seemed pretty rich.

[Mulceber]

Yeah, thrace was, iirc, not really hellenized - at least not enough that they would consider themselves Greek, so I tend to doubt they'd be tossing around the word barbarian.

I haven't seen the show, but have heard nothing but bad things about it. Like Rome if they made 300 style action, took out the political scenes and put in more sex and violence. -M

[antisocialmunky]

This is like the 5th thread on this... :-\

[Ludens]

I was just wondering was Thrace quite "civilized/Hellenised" at this point in the classical period? As the Thracian's refering to the Getia as barbarians seemed pretty rich.

Yeah, thrace was, iirc, not really hellenized - at least not enough that they would consider themselves Greek, so I tend to doubt they'd be tossing around the word barbarian.

I can't answer the OPs question directly, but remember the origin of the word "barbarian". The Greeks used it for the not-exactly-primitive Persians, and were subjected to it in turn by the Romans. The word's little more than abuse. Though I doubt such subtleties were considered by the script writer while penning that line.

[Mulceber]

a very good point, Ludens - although what I was trying to say (I'm not sure I said it properly) is simply that since the Thracians weren't hellenized (or Romanized) they wouldn't use the term barbarian, because it's a phrase that, afaik, is pretty specific to those cultures. -M

[Apázlinemjó]

Watched the first and only season of it (Spartacus' actor has cancer, so I don't think they will continue if he dies.). The story of the series is good, I like it, however the 300ish fighting, the too much blood and slow motion just ruin everything. Each episode has at least 2-3 softcore sex scenes, it's okay if they want to represent the Roman life, but these don't add anything to Spartacus' story. Also the creators said their series is historically accurate, yes, tell that to the LS legionaries and the infames.

[anubis88]

I can't answer the OPs question directly, but remember the origin of the word "barbarian". The Greeks used it for the not-exactly-primitive Persians, and were subjected to it in turn by the Romans. The word's little more than abuse. Though I doubt such subtleties were considered by the script writer while penning that line.

On a simmilar note, as a bit of a trivia...

The word barbaros from greek ment at first a man who talks: "br..br...".. meaning gibberish. The greeks gave them such a name because they couldn't understand their language, and all they herd was something along the lines of brbrbrbr... thus the word barbarian

[Fluvius Camillus]

I am really annoyed that some episodes show this warning:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

On the other hand, I liked the storyline. I just turn off my historical conscience and watch something that's quite enjoying. I hope season 2 get's there.

Rome will always remain my best Antiquity serie.

~Fluvius

[Skullheadhq]

Most Greeks called Macedonians 'barbarians' because they had a weird accent, yet had the same culture and language. So even if the Dacians/Thracians would have the same language and culture as the Greeks, they'd probably still be called barbatians

[Ludens]

a very good point, Ludens - although what I was trying to say (I'm not sure I said it properly) is simply that since the Thracians weren't hellenized (or Romanized) they wouldn't use the term barbarian, because it's a phrase that, afaik, is pretty specific to those cultures. -M

True. However, my (badly-made) point is that all cultures consider themselves either more civilized or more decent than their neighbours. The word barbarian may be a Greco-Roman thing, but the feeling is universal. And, obviously, Spartacus would have been considerably more Romanized than the average Thracian.

Most Greeks called Macedonians 'barbarians' because they had a weird accent, yet had the same culture and language. So even if the Dacians/Thracians would have the same language and culture as the Greeks, they'd probably still be called barbatians

It wasn't quite as black-and-white as you make out. The Macedonians were called semi-barbarous by anti-Macedonian Athenian rhetoricians. (Demosthenes, I know. Were there others?) His pro-Macedonian political rivals referred to the Macedonians as fellow Greeks.

[Mulceber]

True. However, my (badly-made) point is that all cultures consider themselves either more civilized or more decent than their neighbours. The word barbarian may be a Greco-Roman thing, but the feeling is universal. And, obviously, Spartacus would have been considerably more Romanized than the average Thracian.

I agree completely. -M