(The Senate convened on Facebook and the subject was YOUR favorite Sword and Sandal movie. Be part of the Senate and leave a comment here on the blog or go to Facebook.)
Christopher Ferndedez Packham — Just watching the original BBC I, Claudius for the first time. It is so good. Makes everything done since look like high school project TV in comparison. The portayal of Livia is astonishing, and TIberius is genuine a monster of a man. Grim and brooding.
So what is everyone elses favourite screen (Big or small) depiction of Rome?
Jimbo Bretney likes this.
Richard Combs — Always love HBO’s Rome
Adem Koci — “Rome”, no question. It kindled my whole interest in ancient Rome
William Glover — I found Graves Books before the series, but “Rome” and “I Claudius” make a great pair to watch then it helps put faces to the names in the books (both fiction and non-fiction)
Matt Huxley — Spartacus for it’s realism (including the annoyingly gratuitous sex and violence). I
Claudius for pure entertainment (and the book is even better). Rome for it’s attention to visual details although was very hit and miss. Cicero, Cato, Servilia, and Brutus were convincingly portrayed but Ciaran Hinds made an unconvincing Caesar and their portrayal of Cleopatra was criminal.
Christopher Ferndadez Packham — How can sex in Ancient Rome ever be gratuitous? This was before the deadly repressive hand of St Paul. I think HBO Rome suffered from the cancellation in series two.
Jimbo Bretney
Rob Cain — I have always liked the movie THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (1964) with Stephen Boyd, Sophia Loren and Alec Guiness. Except only the first part of the movie when they are holded up in a mountain fort in Germania. The rest of the movie was a little disappointing. If anyone looked like Marcus Aurelius it was Alec Guiness. I don’t know what it was, the legion holed up in a mountain redoubt and trying to bring out an attack from the deep woods, seemed oddly familiar with the whole Vietnam thing that was going on. See the scene where Commodus takes a column into the forest while the hero waits to arrive with reinforcements…is great. The score is fantastic, by the way. Dimitri Tiomkin is the composer. Go to itunes to get a copy. It’s worth it.
Rob Cain has traveled extensively through Europe, Italy, and Egypt. He was formerly on active duty with the United States Army. He is a fan of history, and enjoys reading books on the history of Rome. He currently has a podcast presentation on itunes and hipcast. The blog is for the free and open discussion of Ancient Rome based on Mr. Cain's observations noted in his podcast. Most episodes start out with an original dramatic narration written by Mr. Cain. In the podcasts he will include his own unique commentary, and interviews with subject matter experts. Comments are welcome and will be highlighted on the show. 
Episode 10, “Nothing New Under the Sun. Get Over it”, features the book, “The Ancient Guide to Modern Life” written by author, comedian, and TV commentator Natalie Haynes.” Whether political, cultural, or social, there are endless parallels between the ancient and modern worlds. Whether it's the murder of Caesar or the political assassination of Thatcher; the narrative arc of the hit HBO series, The Wire, or that of Oedipus; the popular enthusiasm for the Emperor Titus or President Obama – over and over again we can be seen to be living very much like people did 2,000 or more years ago. It's time for us to re-examine the past. Our lives are infinitely richer if we take the time to look at what the Greeks and Romans have given us in politics and law, religion and philosophy and education, and to learn how people really lived in Athens, Rome, Sparta and Alexandria. 
This is a book with a serious point to make but the author isn't just a classicist but a comedian and broadcaster who has made television and radio documentaries about humor, education and Dorothy Parker. This is a book for us all, not for an elite.
