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.