Those About to Die | |
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Based on | Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix |
Written by | Robert Rodat |
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No. of episodes | 10 |
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Budget | $140 million |
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Release | July 18, 2024 |
Those About to Die is an epic historical drama television series developed by Robert Rodat and directed by Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner. The Daniel P. Mannix book-adapted-into-TV series premiered on July 18, 2024, on Peacock with all 10 episodes, [1] and internationally on Amazon Prime Video on July 19, 2024. The series title references the Latin greeting made to the Emperor at the games, Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant, "Hail Caesar, those about to die salute you". [2]
The series chronicles the world of the Roman Empire's games, centered around the charioteers, gladiators and politics surrounding the emperor.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [3] | Written by [4] | Original release date |
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1 | 1 | "Rise or Die" | Roland Emmerich | Robert Rodat | July 18, 2024 |
2 | 2 | "Trust None" | Roland Emmerich | Robert Rodat | July 18, 2024 |
3 | 3 | "Death's Door" | Roland Emmerich | Robert Rodat | July 18, 2024 |
4 | 4 | "Fool's Bet" | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Charles Holland | July 18, 2024 |
5 | 5 | "Betrayal" | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Alex Carmedelle | July 18, 2024 |
6 | 6 | "Blood Relation" | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Eva Gonzalez Szigriszt | July 18, 2024 |
7 | 7 | "Death's Bed" | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Jill Robi | July 18, 2024 |
8 | 8 | "All or Nothing" | Marco Kreuzpaintner | Marissa Lestrade | July 18, 2024 |
9 | 9 | "The Die Is Cast" | Roland Emmerich | Robert Rodat | July 18, 2024 |
10 | 10 | "Let the Games Begin" | Roland Emmerich | Robert Rodat | July 18, 2024 |
It was announced in July 2022 that Peacock had issued a series order for the project, written by Robert Rodat and directed by Roland Emmerich. The series has a budget of $140 million. [5]
In January 2023, Anthony Hopkins was cast. [6] Dimitri Leonidas, Gabriella Pession, Lorenzo Richelmy and Tom Hughes were cast in February, with Marco Kreuzpaintner joining Emmerich as a director. [7] Production began at Cinecittà in Rome in March with additional casting announced including Iwan Rheon, who was cast to replace Richelmy. [8]
The series has a 49% approval rating from 41 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 5.3 out of 10. [9]
Domitian was Roman emperor from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. Described as "a ruthless but efficient autocrat", his authoritarian style of ruling put him at sharp odds with the Senate, whose powers he drastically curtailed.
Vespasian was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolidation of the empire brought political stability and a vast building program.
The 60s decade ran from January 1, AD 60, to December 31, AD 69.
The 70s was a decade that ran from January 1, AD 70, to December 31, AD 79.
The 90s was a decade that ran from January 1, AD 90, to December 31, AD 99.
AD 70 (LXX) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vespasian and Titus. The denomination AD 70 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. Construction began under the Emperor Vespasian in 72 and was completed in AD 80 under his successor and heir, Titus. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian. The three emperors who were patrons of the work are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named the Flavian Amphitheatre by later classicists and archaeologists for its association with their family name (Flavius).
Titus Caesar Vespasianus was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, becoming the first Roman emperor to succeed his biological father.
Domitia Longina was a Roman empress and wife to the Roman emperor Domitian. She was the youngest daughter of the general and consul Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Domitia divorced her first husband, Lucius Aelius Lamia Plautius Aelianus in order to marry Domitian in AD 71. The marriage produced only one son, whose early death is believed to have been the cause of a temporary rift between Domitia and her husband in 83. She became the empress upon Domitian's accession in 81, and remained so until his assassination in 96. She is believed to have died sometime between AD 126 and 130.
The Flavian dynasty, lasting from AD 69 to 96, was the second dynastic line of emperors to rule the Roman Empire following the Julio-Claudians, encompassing the reigns of Vespasian and his two sons, Titus and Domitian. The Flavians rose to power during the civil war of AD 69, known as the Year of the Four Emperors; after Galba and Otho died in quick succession, Vitellius became emperor in mid 69. His claim to the throne was quickly challenged by legions stationed in the eastern provinces, who declared their commander Vespasian emperor in his place. The Second Battle of Bedriacum tilted the balance decisively in favor of the Flavian forces, who entered Rome on 20 December, and the following day, the Roman Senate officially declared Vespasian emperor, thus commencing the Flavian dynasty. Although the dynasty proved to be short-lived, several significant historic, economic and military events took place during their reign.
De vita Caesarum, commonly known as The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. The subjects consist of: Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian.
Flavia Domitilla was a Roman noblewoman of the 1st century AD. She was a granddaughter of Emperor Vespasian and a niece of Emperors Titus and Domitian. She married her second cousin, the consul Titus Flavius Clemens, a grand-nephew of Vespasian through his father Titus Flavius Sabinus.
The inaugural games were held, on the orders of the Roman Emperor Titus, to celebrate the completion in AD 80 of the Colosseum, then known as the Flavian Amphitheatre.
Cornelius Fuscus was a Roman general who fought campaigns under the Emperors of the Flavian dynasty. He first distinguished himself as one of Vespasian's most ardent supporters during the civil war of 69 AD, known as the Year of the Four Emperors. Vespasian's son Domitian employed Fuscus as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, a post he held from 81 until his death.
The Stadium of Domitian, also known as the Circus Agonalis, was located to the north of the Campus Martius in Rome, Italy. The Stadium was commissioned around AD 80 by Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus as a gift to the people of Rome and was used almost entirely for athletic contests. In Christian tradition, Agnes of Rome was martyred there.
Nerva was a Roman emperor from 96 to 98. Nerva became emperor when aged almost 66, after a lifetime of imperial service under Nero and the succeeding rulers of the Flavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing the Pisonian conspiracy of 65. Later, as a loyalist to the Flavians, he attained consulships in 71 and 90 during the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian, respectively. On 18 September 96, Domitian was assassinated in a palace conspiracy involving members of the Praetorian Guard and several of his freedmen. On the same day, Nerva was declared emperor by the Roman Senate. As the new ruler of the Roman Empire, he vowed to restore liberties which had been curtailed during the autocratic government of Domitian.
Iwan Rheon is a Welsh actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Bellamy in the E4 series Misfits (2009-11), Ramsay Bolton in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2013-16), and Mötley Crüe guitarist Mick Mars in the film The Dirt (2019). He has also appeared in the series Vicious, Riviera, Inhumans, and Those About to Die.
Domitian was Roman emperor from 81 to 96 AD.
Amir Wilson is an English actor. He played Will Parry in the HBO and BBC One series His Dark Materials, Tiuri in the Netflix series The Letter for the King, and Dickon in the 2020 film adaptation of The Secret Garden.