Roman Empire (TV series)

Last updated
Roman Empire
Roman Empire- Reign of Blood.png
Genre Historical drama
Documentary
Written by
  • Jeremiah Murphy
  • Peter Sherman
  • Brian Burstein (season 2)
  • John Ealer (season 2)
  • Steve Loh (season 2)
Directed byRichard Lopez
John Ealer (season 2)
Starring Sean Bean
Aaron Jakubenko
Ditch Davey
Ido Drent
Country of originUnited States
Australia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes15
Production
CinematographyMiltj on Kam
Production companyStephen David Entertainment
Original release
Network Netflix
ReleaseNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11) 
April 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)

Roman Empire is a television docudrama based on historical events of the Roman Empire. The show is in the anthology format with each season presenting an independent story. Season 1, "Reign of Blood", is a six-part story about Emperor Commodus. [1] Jeremiah Murphy and Peter Sherman collaborated on writing the first season, with Richard Lopez directing. It premiered on Netflix on November 11, 2016. [2] Season 2, "Master of Rome", premiered on July 27, 2018; it is a five-part story about the rise of Dictator Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic. [3] Season 3, "The Mad Emperor", premiered on Netflix on April 5, 2019, and is a four-part story about Emperor Caligula. [4]

Contents

The series was produced by Netflix as a Netflix original series, though it frequently reuses footage from other programs, including Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire (2006).[ citation needed ]

Episodes

As Roman Empire is an anthology series, each season tells its own story, and each season has its own title.

SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
1 6November 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)
2 5July 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
3 4April 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)

Season 1 (2016)

The first season is named Commodus: Reign of Blood, and consists of six episodes. It became available for streaming on November 11, 2016.

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"Born in the Purple"Richard LopezJeremiah MurphyNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)

Lucilla, the older sister of Commodus, has no chance of becoming a female head of state.

With the premature news of her husband's death, Faustina rushes to Roman Egypt to back the governor Avidius Cassius's usurpation.
22"The Making of an Emperor"Richard LopezPeter ShermanNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)

The marriage of Commodus to Bruttia Crispina has a strategic value of strengthening his bond with the senatorial class in Rome.

Following the advice of Cleander and Saoterus, Commodus ends the campaigns in Germania after his father's death.
33"Enemy of the Senate"Richard LopezJeremiah MurphyNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)
Commodus bankrolls gladiatorial fights by taxing the Senate. This angers key members of the Senate such as Cassius Dio and Quintianus who plots with Lucilla against Commodus.
44"Rome is Burning"Richard LopezPeter ShermanNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)

Commodus exiles his sister Lucilla on the island of Capri.

Cleander begins selling Senate seats.

When his wife Crispina does not produce an heir, Commodus banishes her to Capri; at the same time, Commodus takes on an extra-marital lover Marcia who herself is still married to Eclectus.
55"Fight for Glory"Richard LopezJeremiah MurphyNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)
Commodus asks Narcissus to train him as a gladiator.
66"14 Days of Blood"Richard LopezPeter ShermanNovember 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)

Marcia fails in poisoning Commodus.

All the Senators are scared of being executed by Commodus at any moment. Commodus becomes the first and only Roman emperor to fight as a gladiator.

At the end, Narcissus assassinates Commodus. The Year of the 5 Emperors (193) ensues. Afterwards, Narcissus is executed. Also, the next emperor Didius Julianus executes Marcia.

The Senator Cassius Dio survives and chronicles the events of his times. Dio is a Roman and writes his account in the Greek language which had become the language of the educated Romans even in the western half--like Marcus Aurelius.

Season 2 (2018)

The second season is named Julius Caesar: Master of Rome, and consists of five episodes. It became available for streaming on July 27, 2018.

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
71"The Triumvirate"John EalerSteve LohJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
Crassus defeats the army of Spartacus at the Battle of the Silarius River, Italia, in 71 BCE.
82"The Great Conqueror"John EalerSteve LohJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
Vercingetorix wants to form a pan-Gallic confederacy (today's France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Monaco) to stand in the way of Caesar's army.
93"Crossing the Rubicon"John EalerSteve LohJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
After Caesar crosses the Rubicon, Pompey, the consul presiding over the Roman Senate, doesn't have an army under his control in the Rome area. So, Pompey rushes to the east in the region of Greece to request that the scattered Roman armies not allied with Caesar come to his aid to make a stand against Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalus.
104"Queen of the Nile"John EalerSteve LohJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)

Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator executes the recently-arrived Pompey in Alexandria.

Caesar forms an alliance with Cleopatra against her brother and husband Ptolemy XIII.
115"The Ides of March"John EalerSteve LohJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)

Caesar returns to Rome and convinces the Senate to declare him a dictator for 10 years.

Cleopatra makes a state visit to Rome and announces that Caesarion is Caesar's son.

After becoming dictator in perpetuity, Caesar plans to invade Parthia like Crassus.

Season 3 (2019)

The third season is named Caligula: The Mad Emperor, and consists of four episodes. It became available for streaming on April 5, 2019.

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
121"The Rightful Heir"John EalerSteve LohApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)
Drusus, the son of Tiberius, is the heir apparent to become the Caesar (Roman Emperor).
132"A New Hope"John EalerSteve LohApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)

Tiberius designates his grandson Gemellus and Caligula as co-heirs in his will.

Caligula is initially very popular in Rome because of the very favorable reputation of his famous father Germanicus who had waged successful campaigns in Germania.

Macro supplants Sejanus as the prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

Upon becoming the Roman Emperor, Caligula orders the killing of Gemellus. He also revives gladiatorial fights.

Caligula appoints Claudius, his uncle, as his co-consul (the Roman Republic had 2 consuls at a time).

The 3 sisters of Caligula, (1) Agrippina, (2) Drusilla, and (3) Livilla gain prominence in Caligula's court.
143"In Search of an Heir"John EalerSteve LohApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)

Caligula orders the killing of Macro, the Praetorian Guard Prefect.

Caligula has intercourse with all three of his sisters. His intercourses with Agrippina doesn't produce a child. On the other hand, his intercourse with his sister Drusilla makes her pregnant who dies in childbirth without producing a baby. Caligula declared the deceased Drusilla a Roman goddess a la Juno which was uncommon as Roman had no precedent of declaring deceased female figures goddesses.

Having caused outrage in Roman society where incest was extremely taboo, Caligula degrades himself more by behaving out of character with his royal station. He married a Caesonia, a woman already 8 months pregnant with another man. Their offspring is a daughter.

Lepidus, Livilla, and Agrippina conspire in the Plot of the Three Daggers.
154"Descent into Madness"John EalerSteve LohApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)

Agrippina exposes the Plot of the Three Daggers to Caligula even though it was her brainchild. All three of the participants are apprehended by the Praetorian Guard.

With the approval of Caligula's uncle Claudius, Cassius Chaerea leads the Praetorian Guard in assassinating the unstable Caligula.

Historical people and events

Commodus: Reign of Blood

Julius Caesar: Master of Rome

Caligula: The Mad Emperor

Cast

Season 1: Reign of Blood

Season 2: Master of Rome

Season 3: The Mad Emperor

Production

The first series was filmed in 2015 at Studio West in West Auckland, New Zealand. Filming for the second season took place in 2017. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Antony</span> Roman politician and general (83–30 BC)

Marcus Antonius, commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autocratic Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Aurelius</span> Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and Stoic philosopher

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors and the last emperor of the Pax Romana, an age of relative peace, calm, and stability for the Roman Empire lasting from 27 BC to 180 AD. He served as Roman consul in 140, 145, and 161.

The 160s decade ran from January 1, 160, to December 31, 169.

The 170s decade ran from January 1, 170, to December 31, 179.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">40s BC</span>

This article concerns the period 49 BC – 40 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodus</span> Roman emperor from 177 to 192

Commodus was a Roman emperor who ruled from 177 until his assassination in 192. For the first three years of his reign, he was co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius. Commodus's sole rule, starting with the death of Marcus in 180, is commonly thought to mark the end of a golden age of peace and prosperity in the history of the Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaius Cassius Longinus</span> Roman senator and general (c.86 BC–42 BC)

Gaius Cassius Longinus was a Roman senator and general best known as a leading instigator of the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 BC. He was the brother-in-law of Brutus, another leader of the conspiracy. He commanded troops with Brutus during the Battle of Philippi against the combined forces of Mark Antony and Octavian, Caesar's former supporters, and committed suicide after being defeated by Mark Antony.

Servilia was a Roman matron from a distinguished family, the Servilii Caepiones. She was the daughter of Quintus Servilius Caepio and Livia, thus the maternal half-sister of Cato the Younger. She married Marcus Junius Brutus, with whom she had a son, the Brutus who, along with others in the Senate, assassinated Julius Caesar. After her first husband's death in 77 BC, she married Decimus Junius Silanus, and with him had a son and three daughters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legio III Gallica</span> Roman legion

Legio III Gallica was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. The cognomen Gallica suggests that its earliest recruits came from veterans of the Gallic legions of Gaius Julius Caesar, a supposition supported by its emblem, a bull, a symbol associated with Caesar. The legion was based for most of its existence at Raphanea, Roman Syria, and was still active in Egypt in the early 4th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucius Aelius Caesar</span> Adopted son and heir of Emperor Hadrian (101–138)

Lucius Aelius Caesar was the father of Emperor Lucius Verus. In 136, he was adopted by the reigning emperor Hadrian and named heir to the throne. He died before Hadrian and thus never became emperor. After Lucius' death, he was replaced by Antoninus Pius, who succeeded Hadrian the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus</span> Roman politician and general (c. 125 – 193 AD)

Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus was a politician and military commander during the 2nd century in the Roman Empire. A general under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Pompeianus distinguished himself during Rome's wars against the Parthians and the Marcomanni. He was a member of the imperial family due to his marriage to Lucilla, a daughter of Marcus Aurelius, and was a key figure during the emperor's reign. Pompeianus was offered the imperial throne three times, though he refused to claim the title for himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faustina the Younger</span> Roman empress from 161 to 175

Annia Galeria Faustina the Younger was Roman empress from 161 to her death as the wife of emperor Marcus Aurelius, her maternal cousin. Faustina was the youngest child of emperor Antoninus Pius and empress Faustina the Elder. She was held in high esteem by soldiers and her husband as Augusta and Mater Castrorum and was given divine honours after her death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucilla</span> Roman empress from 164 to 169

Annia Aurelia Galeria Lucilla or Lucilla was the second daughter of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and Roman empress Faustina the Younger. She was the wife of her father's co-ruler and adoptive brother Lucius Verus and an elder sister to later emperor Commodus. Commodus ordered Lucilla's execution after a failed assassination and coup attempt when she was about 33 years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurelia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Aurelia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which flourished from the third century BC to the latest period of the Empire. The first of the Aurelian gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Aurelius Cotta in 252 BC. From then to the end of the Republic, the Aurelii supplied many distinguished statesmen, before entering a period of relative obscurity under the early emperors. In the latter part of the first century, a family of the Aurelii rose to prominence, obtaining patrician status, and eventually the throne itself. A series of emperors belonged to this family, through birth or adoption, including Marcus Aurelius and the members of the Severan dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nerva–Antonine dynasty</span> Dynasty of 7 Roman Emperors from AD 96 to 192

The Nerva–Antonine dynasty comprised seven Roman emperors who ruled from AD 96 to 192: Nerva (96–98), Trajan (98–117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–161), Marcus Aurelius (161–180), Lucius Verus (161–169), and Commodus (177–192). The first five of these are commonly known as the "Five Good Emperors".

<i>Julius Caesar</i> (miniseries) 2002 miniseries

Julius Caesar is a 2002 miniseries about the life of Julius Caesar. It was directed by German director Uli Edel and written by Peter Pruce and Craig Warner. It is a dramatization of the life of Caesar from 82 BC to his death in 44 BC. It was one of the last two films starring Richard Harris, released in the year of his death. The series was originally broadcast on German TV in December 2002 before being brodcast on TNT in two parts, airing June 29 and 30, 2003, with the tagline His Time Has Come. The miniseries was nominated for two Emmys for Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries and Outstanding Sound Editing. It also has a full movie video release, combining the two episodes into one movie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruttia Crispina</span> Roman empress from 178 to 191

Bruttia Crispina was Roman empress from 178 to 191 as the consort of Roman emperor Commodus. Her marriage to Commodus did not produce an heir, and her husband was instead succeeded by Pertinax.

The Roman–Parthian War of 161–166 was fought between the Roman and Parthian Empires over Armenia and Upper Mesopotamia. It concluded in 166 after the Romans made successful campaigns into Lower Mesopotamia and Media and sacked Ctesiphon, the Parthian capital.

References

  1. O'Keefe, Meghan (November 11, 2016). "Roman Empire: Reign of Blood is an Uncensored Look at Ancient History". The Decider.
  2. Robinson, Joanna; Lawson, Richard (October 25, 2016). "What's New on Netflix in November—and What to Watch Before It Disappears". Vanity Fair. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  3. "Roman Empire | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  4. "'Roman Empire' Season 3 Coming to Netflix in April 2019". What's on Netflix. March 13, 2019.
  5. "Bruttia Crispina". TV Maze. Retrieved August 2, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. O'Keefe, Meghan (November 15, 2016). "'Roman Empire: Reign of Blood': Who was the Real Lucilla?". The Decider. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  7. "Kiwi stars to get bloody in ancient Rome". spy.nzherald.co.nz. July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  8. "Our Story". Studio West. Retrieved 29 April 2023.