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HBO\'s Rome - inaccuracies
#1
I just want to apologize up front for bringing up a topic that seems to bring a virtual cringe to most members' faces whenever mentioned...but I couldn't resist. I did try to pull up as much as I could via search, but couldn't really find too much info.

So here it goes. Long-time history lover, long-time lover of all things from ancient Rome (particularly the legions), yet I clearly do not possess the depth of knowledge that the members of the RAT boards do. I envy you.

I will come clean and admit that I 'rediscovered' my love of ancient Roman history about 2 years ago when I found HBO's Rome, which I devoured. Since that time I've been consistently feeding my new-found obsession with a steady stream of ever more detailed histories and so on (most recently Bishop & Coulston).

However, I find that many of the books that I've read are rather 'lightweight' in regards to the nitty-gritty details we all enjoy so much (I'm not refering to B & C).

I love the period of Pompey, Caesar, Antony etc.. I loved HBO's Rome for the characters, the atmosphere, and the acting, but I know, despite their supposed attempt to make everything "as accurate as feasibly possible" that there are major historical issues with the series.

For one, the historical timeline is very disjointed. As well, there are glaring inaccuracies, such as Octavian's childhood spent in Rome...or the existence of, and certain nocturnal activities of his mother Atia, for that matter. I know that the legionary's helmets were wrong, as were the swords, and that it is doubtful at best that Caesar and Pompey would have adorned brown leather Lorica Musculata and attic style helmets before battle...but in reading what little I have found on RAT that has been discussed about HBO's Rome, I found the consensus to be that "Everything on HBO's Rome is wrong!!"

My very broad question for anyone willing to answer is - what else is wrong with HBO's Rome? Of course, I am more interested in inaccuracies in the way that soldiers and military matters were presented, but any new information about this time period would be more than welcome!

Alexander
Alexander
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#2
Hi Alexander,
Indeed, this topic has been discussed often on this forum, including the inconsistensies. Please look up such a thread instead of opening a new one. Also, I have moved it to the oproper 'references & reviews' section.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#3
I didn't even see the "references & reviews" section until you mentioned it :oops:

Thank you though for pointing me in the right direction.

Alexander
Alexander
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#4
Quote:Hi Alexander,
Indeed, this topic has been discussed often on this forum, including the inconsistensies. Please look up such a thread instead of opening a new one.

I thought, since this is a new-style board, and 'Rome' perhaps not being the most useful of search keywords (!) that I might try and find a few of the old threads myself.

Here's the oldest, and longest: HBOs Rome to Present a More Realistic...

Also: HBOs Rome Nominated for Costume Honours

And: Accuracy of HBO series Rome

(hopefully the links work!)

Most 'inaccuracy' points are covered on these, but since the threads are now quite long and ungainly - and a bit tatty in places - I'll add a few more points here (I've finally seen the first season of this in full, in fact, after getting it on DVD, long after everyone else, it seems).

One thing that stuck me (aside from those horrid chunky leather wristbands, which are even worn in bed), were the strange and dreadful hats worn by many 'civilians'. One guy shows up with what looks like a crushed wicker basket covered in leather straps on his head. The clothing generally is rather outlandish - lots of curious fabrics and embroideries. Pompey appears wearing a kind of art deco Turkish bathrobe at one point. Apparently, more 'authentic' Roman costuming (very plain white woollens, mostly) would have looked uninteresting on screen.

There's another, more general, note of inauthenticity in the series - the ruling-class characters are clearly divided between 'soldiers' (Caesar, Antony etc) and 'politicians' (Cicero, Cato, etc). This distinction is stressed throughout: Antony often claiming to be 'just a simple soldier' and calling a leading senator 'a civilian', for example. In fact, military and political roles were effectively the same under the republic. A consul (or any other senator) was a military as well as a political leader.

There's a similar simplification with religion. Caesar at one point tells the chief augur that he is 'a soldier' and 'knows nothing of religious matters' - Caesar at this time was Pontifex Maximus and the highest priest in Rome! Of course the program makers knew all this - but chose to represent things this way for dramatic clarity. Still, it perhaps leads to some popular misconceptions about Roman political structures.

The series also (deliberately) exaggerates the divide between patrician and plebian families during this period - Antony at one point (wrongly) referring to himself as 'an old patrician'. Generally patrician is used as a synonym for noble, or even senatorial rank. Again, this was surely done for dramatic colour, but leads to confusion - the 'plebian nobility' is quite a difficult enough concept already!

Having said all that (and much more could be said, of course...) I did enjoy it all a great deal - the script was very good, most of the characters very believable, and some of the scenes very funny. It gave a good overall impression of the period, while being a bit loose with the facts.

A little less leatherware and it could have been excellent :wink:

- Nathan
Nathan Ross
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#5
And the stage sets were remarkably convincing!
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#6
Quote:The clothing generally is rather outlandish - lots of curious fabrics and embroideries

Yeah, I noticed that too. In the making of extras on the DVD they said they tried to make everything in Rome feel like modern-day Mumbai, in the hopes of capturing the clutter and confusion, along withe bright colors and so on. Almost all of the fabric was imported from India they said.

Quote:And the stage sets were remarkably convincing!

Agreed. Despite some glaring mistakes which I've seen referenced (I believe it was that Augustus's triumphal arch was included on the forum set), the feel of the sets was terrific.

In regards to some of the other knit-picking details that I've observed (which are mostly concerned with the way the legions were depicted):

Most of the armor used is (alas) fantasy - such as very fake Mainz and Pompeii style swords, to brown leather armor and the so-called "praetorian helmets" for generals (Pompey, Antony, etc.), inaccurate helmets for the legionary, and the list goes on.
I'm sure that others here on RAT could (and probably have from what it seems) go on ad nausea about the errors on the show.

I still love it though. Better than the rest of the crap on TV.

Alexander
Alexander
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#7
Quote:I still love it though. Better than the rest of the crap on TV.

Even a crappy show about Rome (this one is not crappy) is better than the rest of the crap on TV. (sure is a lot of crap in that comment) :lol:
_____________________________________________________
Mark Hayes

"The men who once dwelled beneath the crags of Mt Helicon, the broad land of Thespiae now boasts of their courage"
Philiades

"So now I meet my doom. Let me at least sell my life dearly and have a not inglorius end, after some feat of arms that shall come to the ears of generations still unborn"
Hektor, the Iliad
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#8
Quote:sure is a lot of crap in that comment
Ahem. Let's stay in historical context.
crappus, -i, noun, masculine: feces, crap, doo-doo, excrement, caca, dung, poop. Cool :lol:
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#9
There are more errors of omission than outright fabrication IMO... no Titus Labienus, no Dolabella, and Pompey's two sons are condensed into a single fictional "Quintus Pompey." It's hard to blame them for omitting a few important characters, because it would be awfully hard to tell every detail of such a complex story in only two seasons.
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#10
Quote:There are more errors of omission than outright fabrication IMO

Could not agree more.
Alexander
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