A 2006 BBC docudrama series narrated by Alisdair Simpson, co-produced by BBC, ZDF and Discovery Channel.
This docudrama focuses on the Latin western half of the Roman Empire, with each episode looking at a different key turning points in the histor…
A 2006 BBC docudrama series narrated by Alisdair Simpson, co-produced by BBC, ZDF and Discovery Channel.
This docudrama focuses on the Latin western half of the Roman Empire, with each episode looking at a different key turning points in the history of the Roman Empire.
Episode 1: Rome was once a largely democratic society, with regular elections. This Republic lasted for 500 years, but then came Tiberius Gracchus. He believed in the ideals of the Republic - fairness, decency and justice for everyone - but was appalled by Rome's aristocrats' treatment of the poor. So he unleashed the power of the mob upon the streets of Rome, with devastating consequences.
Cast & Characters:
James D'Arcy as Tiberius
Greg Hicks as Aemillianus
David Hinton as Axius
Geraldine James as Cornelia
Tom Bell as Nasica
David Warner as Pulcher
Wendy Nottingham as Mother
James Hillier as Octavius
Sylvester Morand as Mancinus
Paul Brightwell as Pompeius
David Kennedy as Matho
Historical consultant: Mary Beard
Producer, director & writer: Christopher Spencer
Episode 2: https://www.bitchute.com/video/cx1qZkbMvOZ5/
Note: The BBC did not broadcast the episodes in chronological order. They started with Nero episode, followed by Caesar. Other times it was Caesar than Nero, followed by Gracchus and Vespasian, and other times Gracchus episode was broadcast after Vespasian. I think that's a mess. So, I have decided to post them in chronological order, instead. It makes sense and it's less confusing. I'm not a big fan of the docudrama format, but this is well made. The actors are brilliant and many of them are familiar British actors. It is not a masterpiece, but overall it is enjoyable and it makes the effort to be historically accurate. At least, as presented by the roman writers. Although, in few cases, I felt like some dialogues sounded too modern.
Also, I'm glad they dedicated a whole episode to Tiberius Gracchus, because this is a period rarely touched in the various documentaries about Rome. There is too much about the history of Roman Emperors - Nero in particular, which the British and American public seems obsessed for some reason - but very little about the Republic and some of the key figures of that period, such as Gracchus and his brother.
