[While Hollywood is often full of copycat ideas, the subject of empire is a hot topic for obvious reasons, says HBO's historical consultant, Jonathan Stamp.] There's something particularly resonant about that particular point in Roman history, maybe particularly in the United States, ... [Rome] is wrestling with all the problems of whether or not it should expand, have an empire. If it does have an empire, how it should run that empire...? |
a distinction between being accurate and being authentic. There's no such thing as 100-percent historical accuracy. |
Bruno (Heller) deliberately picked out stuff which is shocking, arresting, surprising, |
It's not a documentary. It's a historical fiction. But we have attempted to make the world, the background, the detail of that world as authentic as possible. |
Rome was a culture alive with fear, ... Fear of what the other side will do ... fear of what the gods will do if you do not propitiate them. |
Rome was a culture alive with fear. Fear of what the other side will do ... fear of what the gods will do if you do not propitiate them. |
The Romans perfected the acquisition of power. But they fought for survival. ... It was never written that they would rule the roost. They had to fight to get there. |
There's something particularly resonant about that particular point in Roman history, maybe particularly in the United States. [Rome] is wrestling with all the problems of whether or not it should expand, have an empire. If it does have an empire, how it should run that empire...? |
There's something particularly resonant about that particular point in Roman history. Maybe particularly here in the United States. |
They would be pleased, flattered, thrilled. They were very conscious of making their mark forever. |
We find out more about that great voiceless mass — the poor, women, slaves — from the tomb inscriptions. |
We've made every effort to create a world as close to the one in which our characters moved, ... a world that is coherent and convincing. |