Barnes & Noble

More West Wing than Gladiator, the HBO/BBC co-production Rome traces the tumultuous career of Gaius Julius Caesar -- from his rise to power to his assassination by members of the Roman Senate. Meticulously detailed and filmed entirely on location in Italy, the series focuses on Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) and his intimates, including: his mistress Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) and her traitorous son Brutus (Tobias Menzies); his niece Atia (the gleefully wicked Polly Walker), great-nephew Octavian (the fantastic Max Pirkis), and great-niece Octavia (Kerry Condon); the famed general Mark Antony (James Purefoy); and the various principal players of the Senate, such as Cicero (David Bamber), Cato (Karl Johnson), and Scipio (Paul Jesson). Fictional characters afford viewers a rank-and-file perspective on Caesar's takeover of Rome; they include Roman Legion officer Marcus Vorenus (Kevin McKidd); his wife, Niobe (Indira Varma), and their children; and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson), a centurion under Vorenus's command. With such a large cast, it can be a challenge to keep track of everyone, so HBO helpfully provides both a printed character guide and a featurette on the actors. Commentaries and featurettes are spread throughout the five episode-inclusive discs, while the sixth bonus disc features a photo gallery and two featurettes. Our favorite feature, though, is the "All Roads Lead to Rome" interactive onscreen guide. When activated, it offers historical background on particular scenes, such as what the rude graffiti means outside Atia's door in one episode, the ironic meaning of Pullo's last name ("shrimp" or "little one"), or the fact that it took Caesar over three hours to die on the floor of the Senate. Made with HBO's typical creative freedom and the BBC's eye for detail, Rome is a series that's worthy of multiple viewings on DVD. Christina Urban

All Movie Guide

Season 2 of the lavish, lusty British historical series Rome begins exactly where Season One left off, with the murder of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March in the year 44 BCE. The power struggle that follows is set in motion when, thanks largely to the machinations of Caesar's scheming niece Atia (Polly Walker), her young and callow son Octavian (Max Pirkis) is announced as heir to the throne--infuriating Caesar's closest ally Marc Antony (James Purefoy). In the war that follows between Antony's "Caesarians" and Octavian's "Liberators," there can be only one winner--but it is not until the season concludes in the year 31 BCE that the true winner is revealed. Amidst the intrigues of Rome's high-born power brokers, we never lose sight of the secondary plotline involving two lowly veterans of the Gallic wars, Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) and Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd). Characteristically, it is the thoroughly hedonistic Pullo who thrives and prospers during this turbulent era, with each stroke of luck advancing his prestigate and wealth. Conversely, Lucius suffers spectacularly throughout season two, beginning with the death of his beloved wife and the distintegration of his family. The ultimate blow will not be dealt to Vorenus until the season finale, but in the meantime much is made of the fact that Gallo has aligned himself with Octavian, and Vorenus casts his lot with Antony. Though scrupulously authentic in its historical detail, Rome continues to successfully pinpoint the most "contemporary" aspects of ancient History. Especially notable this season is the series' depiction of Rome's small but ever-growing Jewish community, and the emergence of "Crip and Blood"-style gang warfare in the treacherous Aventine Collegium district. In a similar vein, after Marc Antony suffers his humiliating defeat at Actium, he retreats to the palace of his Egyptian lover Queen Cleopatra (Lyndsley Marshal), where the two lost souls wallow in debauchery--reminding more than one observer of the equally foredoomed punk-rockers Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen! Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 883929079971
• Source: HBO HOME VIDEO
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Editions: Subtitled, Slip Sleeve, Mixed Media Set, Digi-Pak
• Time: 20:29:00
• Sales Rank: 190

This set contains DVDs which may be available separately:

• Rome: The Stolen Eagle
• Rome: How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic
• Rome: An Owl in a Thornbush
• Rome: Stealing From Saturn
• Rome: The Ram Has Touched the Wall
• Rome: Egeria
• Rome: Pharsalus
• Rome: Caesarion
• Rome: Utica
• Rome: Triumph
• Rome: The Spoils
• Rome: The Kalends of February
• Rome: Passover
• Rome: Son of Hades
• Rome: These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero
• Rome: Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)
• Rome: Heroes of the Republic
• Rome: Philippi
• Rome: Death Mask
• Rome: A Necessary Fiction
• Rome: Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus
• Rome: De Patre Vostro

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