HBO\'s "Rome" to present more realistic look at the

[Robert Vermaat]

and threatening to send a legionary to the arena for jumping out of the acies to engage the enemy? That's one of the few times it's ok to do that - he's more likely to have been decorated!

he wasn't so much punished for jumping out of the acia (although it was brave, it was stupid - he could've been isolated and killed), but more for his refusal to return to the rank and above all, for hitting his commanding officer. I was surprised they did not crucify him on the spot..

[john m roberts]

I think they don't want to confuse the audience with Roman naming customs so they're going with the names everyone is familiar with, primarily from Shakespeare: "Octavian", "Marc Antony" and "Pompey" instead of Gaius Octavius, Marcus Antonius and Pompeius. I don't blame them. This is a minor quibble I can live with. I had a harder time swallowing Caesar's statement to the chief augur that he was "a simple soldier, unfamiliar with religious matters." He was pontifex maximus, for Jupiter's sake. He ruled on all aspects of Roman religion. And don't get me started on Cleopatra and the Alexandrian court. Overall, though, I find it a very superior production, way ahead of any other tv Classical drama.

[Ebusitanus]

Can´t wait to see it here in Spain.

[Kate Gilliver]

he wasn't so much punished for jumping out of the acia (although it was brave, it was stupid - he could've been isolated and killed), but more for his refusal to return to the rank and above all, for hitting his commanding officer. I was surprised they did not crucify him on the spot..

You can't crucify Roman citizens! hang on a couple of years and there'll be a book on punishment, bravery, cowardice, killing officers, mutiny and all the fun things Roman soldiers get up to but probably shouldn't (my sabbatical project )

[derek forrest]

I enjoyed it. Yes the sex was gratuitous but it is HBO and Deadwood did it too. I much prefer uncensored TV after the watershed.

I rather liked the battle with the whistle and swop over;crouched legionaries with right hand placed in the small of the back of the man in front. We know nothing of how it was really done so the film makers are entitled to make as good a guess as we can. If the moment is chosen correctly then it would work. I have certainly pushed the man in front to keep the line firm but with my shield not my arm. What do police forces do?

I rather liked too the attitude to slaves which seems incredible in our pc times but is quite consistent with what we know from Virgil say. It reminds us that over 2000 years social attitudes can change dramatically. Look how things have changed in my 58 years!

It should provide some food for thought to my christian brethren who want to call Peter and Paul in aid of their own prejudices against women and homosexuals(employing our meaning of that word not the Romans)

[Niedel]

You can't crucify Roman citizens! hang on a couple of years and there'll be a book on punishment, bravery, cowardice, killing officers, mutiny and all the fun things Roman soldiers get up to but probably shouldn't (my sabbatical project

Yeah, they definitely throw the word "crucifixion" around too much in the series. I think they probably assume "being beaten to death with sticks" doesn't sound as threatening or would not be as easily understood by the viewers.
Just a fair warning: If you guys cringe at small historical liberties taken in the first few episodes, wait for the Cleo episode...

[Tarbicus]

I think they don't want to confuse the audience with Roman naming customs so they're going with the names everyone is familiar with,...."Marc Antony"....

He was actually referred to as Marcus Antonius during the ceremony for his taking the office of People's Tribune.

Sadly, the hatchet job on the British version meant the loss, apparently, of a few spectacular vfx shots, including one of the battle at the start. Hopefully the dvd box set will be the US cut, whenever it comes out.

[Arthes]

Greetings,

You mean you do not get to see Atia of the Julii bouncing up and down? Or Cleopatra doing it vertically with Pullo?

I just did a quick search on emule, and the first 9 episodes are there for downloading.

poor emule has probably collapsed under the strain of RAT downloads after that post :lol: :lol:
regards
Arthes

[Robert Vermaat]

he wasn't so much punished for jumping out of the acia (although it was brave, it was stupid - he could've been isolated and killed), but more for his refusal to return to the rank and above all, for hitting his commanding officer. I was surprised they did not crucify him on the spot..

You can't crucify Roman citizens! hang on a couple of years and there'll be a book on punishment, bravery, cowardice, killing officers, mutiny and all the fun things Roman soldiers get up to but probably shouldn't (my sabbatical project )

OK, OK, I was too rash there. I actually did not remember if he was a citizen or not. I guess he would more likely have been stoned to death?
The flooging scene was awful. i mean, flogging is not something endured so lightly! These whips are heavy and cause immense pain, not to mention bloodloss! The 'stoic' reaction was way too 'hollywood-heroic' for my taste..

[Marius_Ursus]

he wasn't so much punished for jumping out of the acia (although it was brave, it was stupid - he could've been isolated and killed), but more for his refusal to return to the rank and above all, for hitting his commanding officer. I was surprised they did not crucify him on the spot..

You can't crucify Roman citizens! hang on a couple of years and there'll be a book on punishment, bravery, cowardice, killing officers, mutiny and all the fun things Roman soldiers get up to but probably shouldn't (my sabbatical project )

OK, OK, I was too rash there. I actually did not remember if he was a citizen or not. I guess he would more likely have been stoned to death?
The flooging scene was awful. i mean, flogging is not something endured so lightly! These whips are heavy and cause immense pain, not to mention bloodloss! The 'stoic' reaction was way too 'hollywood-heroic' for my taste..

That was purely a character development reaction. As we see in later episodes, Titus Pullo's quite the cock-proud swaggerer.

[Tarbicus]

Just in case you want to recreate Titus Pullo, you can get a head start (get it?) with this helmet at Museum Replicas:

[url:31bssob7]http://www.museumreplicas.com/webstore/eCat/Armor%20And%20Shields/Historical/Helmets/Brass%20Roman%20Helmet.aspx[/url]

Coupled with this scutum:

[url:31bssob7]http://www.museumreplicas.com/webstore/eCat/Armor%20And%20Shields/Historical/Shields/Scutum%20W%20embossed%20Wings.aspx[/url]

Methinks the producers of Rome may have cut a pretty good deal with these guys or Windlass Steeelcrafts, maybe?

[Neuraleanus]

[url:3sr7i1la]http://www.museumreplicas.com/webstore/eCat/Armor%20And%20Shields/Historical/Shields/Oval%20Roman%20Shield.aspx[/url]

It doesn't look too bad, though with anything from Museum Replicas, I would have to see one close up before buying one. The color is clearly wrong, but that could be fixed.

[Marius_Ursus]

I caught the latest episode last night, and I have a question for anyone in the know. Without giving out a spoiler about the episode, I was just wondering what the penalty was for killing another person's slave during the time of the late republic. If I recall correctly, a person could kill his own slaves, but if someone else did it, didn't he have to pay the equivalent value of that dead slave to the owner?

They didn't consider it as serious as murdering a citizen...right?

[Marcus Mummius]

I'm not sure but I think slaves qualified as goods/property. Killing one would have been equivalent to breaking a vase or killing a horse. Although a good horse might have been more expensive than a cheap slave. I think it was not considered as murder, the culprit would have to pay for the loss of the owner.

I'm not absolutely sure though...

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Avete, I suppose the fact that Vorenus and Pullo are friends(?) and was offered repayment for the slave made it a matter between the two men.Also,if not reported,well...and Vorenus has always been kind of fatherly in a way to Pullo( who is often like a petulent child).Sure is heating up for the season finale,too.Anyone want to guess what the end will be.Et tu? :wink: