ROMAN FILMS OF THE LAST TEN YEARS

The last ten years have given us a number of colorful and violent looks at the Roman world. When Gladiator won Best Picture in 2000, Hollywood took notice, following it with films about the ancient world (including the Spartan defense against the Persians to Alexander's conquest of India.) Instead of talking about the films and TV shows of Rome chronologically by release date, let's allow history to unfold before us. We'll take a tour of the Roman story as it unfolds…

71 BC - Spartacus: Blood & Sand (2010) This over-the-top gore and sexfest was inspired by the CGI-dominated The 300 (which did well in theaters). The mini-series follows Spartacus's career (played by Andy Whitfield) from his enslavement to the beginning of his revolt. Episodes show the machinations of his owner, Batiatus (John Hannah) and his wife, Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) as they climb the social ladder, including blackmailing Claudius Glaber (played by Darken Rahl - Craig Parker) and his wife, Ilithia (Viva Bianca). A prequel is set for February 2011. A second season is planned, showing what happens after the massacre in the ludo. Followed by a prequel Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011) and Spartacus: Vengeance in 2012.

49-27 BC - Rome (2005 and 2007) Another TV mini-series (HBO), this one stars Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt on Grey's Anatomy) as Roman officer Lucius Vorenus and Ray Stevenson as his lieutenant Titus Pullo. Historically, the lives of these two are intertwined with Julius Caesar's death and the rise of Augustus. As sex-filled as the later Spartacus, it wasn't as violent, though Pullo's battle in the arena is great. Also like Spartacus, we see much of the under-handed political and social moves behind events in I, Claudius fashion.

26 AD - Ben Hur (2010) Wanting to capitalize on the success of Spartacus and other movies, this remake of the 1959 blockbuster suffers from our memories of Charleton Heston as well as being played on a regular TV network (instead of HBO or Starz). Joseph Morgan plays Ben Hur and Kristin Kreuk his sister, Tirzah. The 1880 novel by Lew Wallace was subtitled "A Story of Christ" but this version plays down the religious elements.

117 AD - The Centurion (2010) features the story of the doomed Ninth Legion that marched into Scotland never to return. Violent and brutal, this film lacks some of the character warmth of earlier films. A lower budget meant less known actors (though it does have The 300's Dominic West as General Titus Flavius Virilus) but this wasn't actually a bad thing for the performances are solid. The film does show more details of the Celts than earlier films, though as the baddies they are still portrayed less sympathetically.

140 AD - The Eagle (2011) based on Rosemary Sutcliff's classic young adult novel The Eagle of the Ninth, this adaptation does what others fail to do: show the Celtic side of the Hadrian's Wall realistically. Not only does it explain what happen to the doomed IX Legion but it also offers a true tale of human spirit. Starring Channing Tatum as Aquila and Jamie Bell as Esca.

180 AD - Gladiator (2000) Russell Crowe stars as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general betrayed by the incumbent emperor, thought dead but sold into slavery as a gladiator. In the ring he rises to become a star while he seeks his vengeance against Emperor Commodius (played by Joaquin Phoenix). Ridley Scott's moody direction and startling visual effects inspire a whole new level of historical adventure films. Won Best Picture.

400 AD - Agora (2009) a Spanish film starring Rachel Weisz as philosopher Hypatia in later Christian Roman times. Not a military film (though still quite violent), but one that looks at belief and Science as well as freedom and slavery. A nice female counterpoint to all the other films.

450 AD - King Arthur (2004) purported to be an accurate film about Dark Age Britain, a matter of opinion, though it does show far more about the Picts or Woads than other films. Clive Owen stars as Arthur, who leads an exclusive squad of Sarmatian knights against the invading Saxons. Stellan Skarsgård as Cedric, leader of the Saxons, is a cold and ruthless enemy. Ray Stevenson plays one of the Sarmatian, Dagonet, and has a great death scene on a frozen lake.

460 AD - The Last Legion (2007) stars Oscar-winners Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai. (Though all talented actors they seem miscasted in this movie.) The plot concerns General Aurelius saving the life of a future Roman emperor from the Goths. The film ends with them fleeing to Britain and the establishing of the Arthur legend. Unlike the other films this one is based on a modern novel of the same name by Valerio Massimo Manfredi.

If you had time to watch all these programs end-to-end you could gain some of the scope of the Roman Empire, from Republican days of Spartacus to the rise of the Caesars to the end of the empire in Dark Ages Britain. Despite their pluses and minuses as entertainment, all of these shows present the glory that was Rome, its dark secrets, its joys and perverse pleasures. If you have a wicked streak (as I do) finish off with a viewing of Monty Python's The Life of Brian (33 AD). Hail Caesar!