[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by pbradley

They're all about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

Ancient Rome: the Rise and Fall of an Empire
The Roman Empire spanned so many centuries, and the sources for our knowledge of its history are so relatively skimpy, and are almost always biased, that it’s really impossible to pronounce definitively on what went on.

So it’s probable that much of what we were shown in these six programmes was not what “really “ occurred.

Nevertheless these programmes were a hugely enjoyable and highly successful attempt to put flesh on the bones. There was lots of the best available historical information, and some dramatic reconstructions which helped us to get a bit of a feel for what it may have been like living in those times.

I doubt if Alaric, king of the Visigoths, was quite the “gentlemen” he was portrayed, though perhaps this had to be done to overcome preconceptions. And was I the only person to get a little tired of his numerous (I didn’t count them) protestations that “he really didn’t want to sack Rome”?

And I thought that the treatment of Constantine was too sympathetic. While some of the cynicism in his use of Christianity was portrayed, I suspect that it may have been even more cynical than that, and that the dogma produced at the Council of Nicaea was actually more orchestrated by Constantine than was really hinted at. (Maybe this was in deference to Christian sensibilities).

And no doubt the sack of a city by fire and sword was far more horrific than we saw in the sack of Rome. But still perhaps we saw enough to get the message.

As was pointed out in a review that I read somewhere (might have been Radio Times), some of the dialogue was banal. For example: “There’s no going back now” (or something like it) as Caesar’s army crossed the Rubicon; or “Don’t harm the churches” from Alaric as Rome was sacked. Yes, maybe a bit of dumbing down there, but on the other hand, maybe points that needed to be made.

All in all though, a superb six programmes. My Thursday evenings are going to be the poorer now without them. If you didn’t see them, then jump at the chance if/when they are repeated.

It’s to be hoped that a second series of the same quality may be produced to fill in some of the gaps between these six episodes.

 

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