HBO Series Rome

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From CamMag

For some reason this series has been coming up in conversation so I thought it would be a good idea to blog about it. Rome which spans from the rise of Julius Caesar to the rise of Augustus, is told not from the view of the aristocracy, but from the common man. Two soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo by a stroke of luck or some might think misfortune, are noticed by Caesar and later develop close connections with his grand-nephew and his second in command. This series shows Rome not as an ideal society, but drags it from its pedestal revealing the rampant corruption and the scheming that occurs behind closed doors.   It makes the empire more relatible and its leaders more human. It's full of passion and lots of action plus there are some twists on historical mysterious such as was Caesar really the father of Cleopatra's son. For me the most interesting part was the relationships between the characters and the transformation of Octavian from a child to an authoritarian dictator as well as the way that his experiences led him down that path. Finally, the show highlights the power and ambition of Roman women. They are the movers of many key events and can be quite vicious. These are not submissive wives and mothers, but power brokers each lusting to be on top. In essence it is the actions of women like Atia of the Julia and Servilla of the Juni that help shape the course of history. Supporters of powerful women may at times be shocked, but definitely not disappointed.