Rome S1-2

Rome is famous for its larger-than-life characters – and this two-season drama zooms in on the likes of soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo (Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson), who’re based on warriors mentioned in Julius Caesar’s war document Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries On The Gallic War).

The series is set in the year 49BC and is not for kids. There’s bloodshed, there’s murder, there’s graphic violence and limbs being lopped off. And unabated sex. So much skin! It was shot almost entirely in Italy, with HBO and BBC spending almost R140 million per episode to make it look like it was filmed in ancient Rome. It’ll transport you right into the dust of the arena.

TV critic Meghan O’Keefe at decider.com says small details alone make it a must-see: “Rome has the difficult challenge of bringing legendary historic figures to life, and it does so with absolute joy. The attention to detail is staggering. Everything from colourful graffiti in the opening credits to the fringe on Caesar’s tunics is true to the historic record, and yet Rome uses these details with total joyous abandon.”