Ancient Rome: the Rise and Fall of an Empire

[Robert Vermaat]

So, full marks to the BBC this week. Next week you late Roman enthusiasts will be able to take over the criticism as we move away from my period and onto Constantine.

I agree with most points, though I found it all a but hurried-acted. Loved the attempts at real fighting, I wonder how that could look with a real budget? Yes, many styles or arms & armour, but was that intentionally or budget-induced? I already tremble for the Late Roman stuff next week, although I saw oval shields and Intercisa-like helmets..

But there were some minor points.
The Romans with with their "after all we did for you, you still rebel, you ungrateful lot" was downright sanctimonious, and seemed a bit like Monty Python's 'Life of Brian'... Yeah right, as if any of the claims jelled from that tower was true!

The BBC was changing history a lot of times. The'Jewish 'terrorist' was made a hero with his calls to fight for freedom (I keep hearing the bellowing of a painted Mel Gibson in my ear...), whereas these factions were hardly fighting for that. Also Josephus (why did they keep calling him that? Did he not have the non-Roman name of Joseph?) with his "I did my duty as a Jew" was a bit too nationalistic for my taste.

I kinda missed Masada, I had expected them to finish the siege of Jerusalem and switch to that more famous one.