Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

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Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
BBC DVD Cover
Genre	Docudrama
Written by	Nick Murphy · James Wood · Jeremy Hylton Davies · Christopher Spencer
Directed by	Nick Murphy · Tim Dunn · Nick Green · Andrew Grieve · Arif Nurmohamed · Christopher Spencer
Starring	Sean Pertwee · Catherine McCormack · Michael Sheen · David Threlfall
Narrated by	Alisdair Simpson
Composer(s)	Samuel Sim
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
No. of episodes	6
Production
Executive producer(s)	Matthew Barrett
Producer(s)	Mark Hedgecoe
Running time	60 minutes
Distributor	BBC
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Original run	September 21 – October 26, 2006
External links
Official website
IMDb profile

Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire is a 2006 BBC One docudrama series, with each episode looking at a different period in the history of the Roman Empire.

Contents 1 Production 2 Reception 2.1 Reviews 2.2 Ratings 3 Episodes 3.1 Episode one: Nero 3.1.1 Cast 3.1.2 Crew 3.2 Episode two: Caesar 3.2.1 Cast 3.2.2 Crew 3.3 Episode three: Revolution 3.3.1 Cast 3.3.2 Crew 3.4 Episode four: Rebellion 3.4.1 Cast 3.5 Episode five: Constantine 3.5.1 Cast 3.6 Episode six: Fall of Rome 3.6.1 Cast 4 Companion book 5 Notes 6 External links 7 References

[edit] Production

BBC History comissioned the online-game CDX to tie-in with the series.^[1]

[edit] Reception

[edit] Reviews

Nancy Banks-Smith writing in The Guardian of episode one was complimentary of Michael Sheen’s, storming performance, as Nero, adding that she found it, slightly disturbing, that he, reminded you subliminally of Tony Blair. She was however critical of the docudrama format of, spicy drama sandwiched between simple slices of narrative, which she compared to, watching a play with someone who insists on explaining the obvious, adding that she got the impression that the narrator was not talking to me at all. Of episode two on Ceaser she stated that, the historians have got their chilly mitts on, pointing out that it, was so painstakingly dull that Nero, always a crowd pleaser, had to be shown first.^[2][3]

Sam Wollaston writing in the same publication of episode three compared it to Rome postulating that this series, came about in response to all the mutterings from cross historians about factual inaccuracies in the BBC's grand romp last year. He states that after some extensive research (I looked up Tiberius Gracchus on Wikipedia), I declare this one to be historically accurate, but also a grand bore. Highly critical of the docudrama format he states, they never work, either as dramas or as documentaries, he goes on to explain, there's no proper character development, and you don't care about any of them, before concluding that this, goes to show that sex is more fun than the truth.^[4]

[edit] Ratings

• Episode one (2006-09-22): 4.2 million viewers (21% audience share).^[5]
• Episode two (2006-09-28): 3.6 million viewers (17% audience share).^[6]
• Episode three (2006-10-05): 3.3 million viewers.^[7]
• Episode four (2006-10-12): 3.4 million viewers.^[8]
• Episode five (2006-10-19): 3.8 million viewers (17% audience share).^[9]
• Episode six (2006-10-26): 3 million viewers (13.6% audience share).^[10]

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Episode one: Nero

This is the story of what happened when the most powerful man on Earth lost his mind and brought the Empire to the brink of destruction.

—Alisdair Simpson’s opening narration

Nero witnesses the Great Fire of Rome from his villa in Antium and hurries back to the capital to try to control the fire and save lives. On the advice of Seneca he sets out to rebuild an inspirational city of marble and stone from the ruins but the expense threatens to bankrupt the empire. Tigellinus is sent to rob the temples to pay for the reconstruction turning many in the senate against the emperor. The Pisonian conspiracy to assassinate Nero and have Piso proclaimed as emperor is revealed and all are executed including the trusted Seneca.

Nero inaugurates the biggest arts festival in Roman history with himself at the top of the bill. In the furious throws of increasingly megalomania he turns against his wife Poppea and murders her. A now isolated Nero leaves Rome in the hands of the senate as he sets out on a debauched tour of the empire. With his reconstruction still incomplete as the money runs out Tigellinus is ordered to initiate a suicide campaign to disposes the richest men in the empire. A rebellion rises up and the Senate sentences the fleeing Nero to death brining the dynasty to an end.

[edit] Cast Michael Sheen as Nero Catherine McCormack as Poppea James Wilby as Tigellinus Ben Pullen as Rufus Hugh Ross as Senator Piso Michael Maloney as Senator Natalis David de Keyser as Senator Clavius Trevor Cooper as Senator Scaevinus Hugh Dixon as Seneca Alex Lowe as Milichus Stewart Pelmut as Street singer

[edit] Crew Historical consultant: Mary Beard Writer & director: Nick Murphy

[edit] Episode two: Caesar

This is the story of the most famous Roman of them all, how he risked everything to tear down the government he served and bring revolution to Rome.

—Alisdair Simpson’s opening narration

Following an 8-year campaign Caesar finding his army encircled by a massive force of Gauls wins a decisive victory with a brilliant counterattack at the Battle of Alesia. An inspiring speech to his troops promising to rescue Rome from its corrupt rulers and restore it to its people raises opposition from Senators Cato and Marcellus. Caesar’s refuses to disband his army before crossing the Rubicon plunging the republic into civil war and turning his deputy Labienus and old friend Pompey against him. Caesar captures Rome unopposed after Pompey is forced to withdraw his vastly outnumbered legions and the senators and people flee.

Caesar ceases the emergency funds from the treasury to fund his campaign but failing to pay-off his soldiers is later forced to decimate his own rebellious Ninth Legion. Pompey amasses a huge army in Greece while Ceaser leads a one-year campaign against opposition in Spain. Caesar is forced to retreat inland by Pompey at the Battle of Dyrrachium but is victorious when the Senators force an impetuous attack at the Battle of Pharsalus. Ceaser overturns the Republic and has himself made Rome’s first emperor only to be assassinated by rivals just four years into his reign.

[edit] Cast Mark Noble as Gaius Crastinus Simon Dutton as Titus Labienus Alex Ferns as Mark Antony Sean Pertwee as Caesar Crispin Redman as Cato Karl Johnson as Marcellus John Shrapnel as Pompey Biliana Petrinsky as Cornelia Douglas Reith as Lucius Metellus

[edit] Crew Historical consultant: Mary Beard Writers: James Wood & Jeremy Hylton Davies Producer & director: Nick Green

[edit] Episode three: Revolution

In an age before Rome was ruled by emperors young Tiberius Grachus had been brought up to respect his father’s principles of honour and justice, but in just 20 years he will die defending his father’s ideals, murdered by the aristocrats standing behind him, his crime; starting a revolution so powerful it changed Rome forever, setting on the path to its greatest triumphs and worst excesses.

—Alisdair Simpson’s opening narration

Tiberius Gracchus first makes a mark on history winning the golden crown from General Scipio Aemilianus by being first over the wall at the victorious Battle of Carthage. Back in Rome, now the capital of the world, he finds the growing gap between rich and poor threatening the foundations of the republic. Urged to achieve greatness through further military exploits he sets out with reinforcements for the campaign of General Mancinus against the rebellious Numantine tribe in Spain but is defeated and forced to negotiate a peace treaty that the Senate later refuses to ratify.

His actions while repudiated in the Senate have made him a hero amongst the Roman people and his new father-in-law Senator Pulcher supports him in a successful campaign to become their Tribune. He snubs the Senate and takes his proposed land reforms directly to the People's Assembly where his old friend Octavius vetoes them. He brings the city to a standstill when he vetoes all other business in response and has Octavius deposed. Octavius and the Senate spread false rumours that he intends to make himself king and in the ensuing unrest he is murdered.

[edit] Cast James D'Arcy as Tiberius Greg Hicks as Aemillianus David Hinton as Axius Geraldine James as Cornelia Tom Bell as Nasica David Warner as Pulcher Wendy Nottingham as Mother James Hillier as Octavius Sylvester Morand as Mancinus Paul Brightwell as Pompeius David Kennedy as Matho

[edit] Crew Historical consultant: Mary Beard Producer, director & writer: Christopher Spencer

[edit] Episode four: Rebellion

The First Jewish-Roman War. This edition tells the story of the Jewish Revolt, which swept through Judea in A.D. 66 and threatened to destabilise the whole empire. Rome turned to the father-and-son team of disgraced General Vespasian and his son Titus to put it down. Filled with spectacular sieges and huge set-piece action, the film pits the discipline and ingenuity of the Roman army against the passion and commitment of the rebels.

[edit] Cast

• Peter Firth as Vespasian
• Ed Stoppard as Josephus
• Richard Harrington as John of Giscala

[edit] Episode five: Constantine

Constantine and the Christianisation of the Empire. Beginning with the battle of the Milvian Bridge and ending with the death of Fausta and Licinius, this edition shows how the Emperor Constantine brought Christianity to the western world. In AD 312, Rome was in crisis. The empire had been divided into four parts, each with its own emperor who fought one another. Constantine intervened and united Rome, using military might and a new religion - Christianity.

[edit] Cast

• David Threlfall as Constantine
• John Blake as General Gnaeus
• John Woodvine as Lactantius
• Charles Dale as Maxentius
• Andre Havill as Bassianus
• Louise Delamere as Fausta
• Andrew Westfields as Bato
• Lyall B Watson as Senator
• Danny Webb as Licinius
• Lucy Gaskell as Constantia

Historical consultant: Averil Cameron

[edit] Episode six: Fall of Rome

In AD 410, the Goth hordes sacked Rome. This event symbolised Rome's collapse. Within 70 years, the western empire - what we think of as Ancient Rome - was abandoned. But it should never have happened at all.

[edit] Cast

• Pip Torrens as Olympius
• Alastair MacKenzie as Athaulf
• Mark Lockyer as Alaric
• Sebastian Armesto as Honorius
• Philip Jackson as Jovius
• Simon Kunz as Attalus
• Natasha Barrero as Galla Placidia
• Ian Lindsay as Festus
• Sabina Netherclift as Goth woman
• Andrew Westfield as Berig
• Karl Jenkinson as Sarus
• Lyall B Watson as Petronius
• Colin Heber-Percy as Stilicho

Historical consultant: Peter Heather

[edit] Companion book

• Baker, Simon (Sep 14, 2006). Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. BBC Books (hardcover). ISBN 978-0563493600. 
• Baker, Simon (Jun 7, 2007). Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. BBC Books (paperback). ISBN 978-1846072840. 

[edit] Notes

• When the series was broadcast on the Discovery Channel as Battle for Rome, from 5 November 2006 onwards, the episodes were broadcast in their chronological order (ie Gracchus, then Caesar, then Nero, then as BBC order).

[edit] External links

• Times article
• Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (Video Download)

[edit] References