07-29-2013, 02:12 PM
Unfortunately, I think quite a bit of "history" that many folks know is influenced by television and movies more than it should be.
Though, it doesn't bother me much. I enjoy movies like Caesar and Cleopatra, the series Spartacus and Rome, History Channel specials on Rome, etc. I think it comes down to the person who has their interest piqued by said production to do the leg work and not rely on his or her "facts" solely from the show.
For example, Spartacus the series. Overly stylized, gore aplenty, inaccuracies abound....but before that show, my interest in Spartacus was merely in passing. That show sparked me to say "wait a minute, I want the real story"! I then wanted to learn more....
So a movie like Caligula that has Incitatus parading around as Consul is silly, and sadly, many think it as fact, I agree with Mary Beard that it is up to us to dig deeper and learn the truth.
Though, it doesn't bother me much. I enjoy movies like Caesar and Cleopatra, the series Spartacus and Rome, History Channel specials on Rome, etc. I think it comes down to the person who has their interest piqued by said production to do the leg work and not rely on his or her "facts" solely from the show.
For example, Spartacus the series. Overly stylized, gore aplenty, inaccuracies abound....but before that show, my interest in Spartacus was merely in passing. That show sparked me to say "wait a minute, I want the real story"! I then wanted to learn more....
So a movie like Caligula that has Incitatus parading around as Consul is silly, and sadly, many think it as fact, I agree with Mary Beard that it is up to us to dig deeper and learn the truth.
"Great Empires are not maintained by timidity" -Tacitus
