Veracity Of Hbos Rome

Thanks for the information on the Egyptian court of this period. I've been wondering if he depiction was accurate for a few days now and I was only getting pictures and descriptions showing the Egyptian court wearing antiquated clothing from the Bronze Age.

The allusions to the 13th caught me and had me running for my library

The tenth of course goes down in history and Caesars own accounts as

Well, 13 is unlucky for some. Perhaps it was for Vorenus and Pullo, both suffered losses during the course of the series and will probably suffer more misfortunes in the next series.

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I once thought that it may have had something to do with which side our heroes might end up fighting on as the series continued to develop, but since both legio XI and XIII follow similar paths in service to Caesar and continuing on in support of Octavian, I honestly am baffled why the switch was made. Maybe XIII just had a better ring to it than XI?

Your correct but Its to do with the second series.

Vorenus took an oath 'to the death' to Antony whereas Pullo is close to Octavian. This sets the scene for a dynamic 'loyalty v friendship' story line.

On another note I thought the crossing of the Rubicon was totally anemic

True, that was a bit of a missed oppurtunity, but at least they made the Rubicon as a small river instead of the wide gushing river it is often made out to be in other productions or even in some drawings.

Down-playing things is nice sometimes, and probably more historically "accurate".

I always think that much of history would be anti-climax if only we could travel back in time.

Phil

The Rubicon itself was not said to have been of any great physical size, rather a well known legal boundary.Its actual stream bed is unknown today, so the small stream may not have been inacurrate.

Down-playing things is nice sometimes, and probably more historically "accurate".

 

I always think that much of history would be anti-climax if only we could travel back in time.

I agree, that is one of the reasons I like 'Rome' as it was a nice change from the usual Theatrical, melodramatic versions we usually get. Just compare the series with Uli Edel's 2002 mini-series 'Julius Caesar'. That had plenty of melodrama, including a scene at the end where Caesar's wife Calpurnia rushes through the streets of Rome to tearfully hold Caesar as he dies on the senate floor.

Would such a marital dispensation be common? Can anyone help. Vorenus' suggested early poverty rings true as regards his career as a soldier, ie: a better alternative to starvation, to a man of spirit. Does anyone have attested examples of the indulgence of marriage (at this time period)?

I didn

The curse tablets are actual Egyptian survivals, but , given the Roman predilection for the wholesome acculturation of deities/ceremonies from the wide world they are not out of kilter. The form of words used by Servillia is an existing curse formula from the Roman epoch, so the two were put together and I dont think the "creative licence" detracts from the efect of the percieved reality of the ceremony.

The curse tablets are actual Egyptian survivals, but , given the Roman predilection for the wholesome acculturation of deities/ceremonies from the wide world they are not out of kilter.

They have been found in many votive deposits throughout Roman Europe as well. Perhaps sticking it into the cracks of the houses was a bit more Egyptian. As I have yet to watch the commentaries, did they have anything to say about this?

The curse tablets are actual Egyptian survivals, but , given the Roman predilection for the wholesome acculturation of deities/ceremonies from the wide world they are not out of kilter.

 

They have been found in many votive deposits throughout Roman Europe as well. Perhaps sticking it into the cracks of the houses was a bit more Egyptian. As I have yet to watch the commentaries, did they have anything to say about this?

Yes there is a very specific reference.Lindsay Duncan said she enjoyed the Cursing very much.

FWIW, I took a class on ancient Greek culture when I was in grad school at U Michigan, and an expert on ancient magic told us that written curses were stuck under floorboards, in wells, and in places that would be likely to reach the underworld.