If you’re a man, you might have recently been asked how often you think about the Roman Empire. If you’re not a man, perhaps you asked the men in your life this question. A recent TikTok trend has people in a tizzy about the revelation that there are a staggering number of men who think about the Roman Empire, well, a lot.
What’s perhaps more intriguing are the reasons why the Roman Empire is so frequently thought of. Parallels between the fall of the Roman Empire and the United States today, its direct impact on modern life, and wonderment of what its citizens’ daily lives were like are frequently cited as reasons it crosses the minds of some men as much as once a day, but for others, it’s simply because the Roman Empire was pretty damn interesting.
Hollywood thinks so, too. The Roman Empire has been the subject of TV series for decades, with producers using both real and imagined stories to bring to life this prominent historical era. If you’re not one of the Roman Empire-obsessed men the internet recently uncovered and you want to know what all the hype is about, check out these three TV series.
Spartacus
If you’ve only seen one TV series about the Roman Empire, it’s more than likely Spartacus. If you haven’t seen any, Spartacus is a good place to start. With three seasons about the real-life titular gladiator, this show is still top-rated among viewers. It’s got plenty of blood, gore, and explicit scenes, so think of it as a Game of Thrones set in ancient Rome.
Spartacus is streaming now on Starz.
Barbarians
Barbarians is a Netflix original with just 12 episodes, but it was critically lauded for its dramatic, bloody, mostly historically accurate depictions of actual battles. This show has subtitles, so if you plan to be on your phone while watching one of these series, Barbarians isn’t a good option. However, if you intend to give it your full attention, it’s a quick binge that’ll likely act as the tip of the iceberg for your Roman Empire content consumption.
Barbarians is streaming now on Netflix.
Rome
Rome is an Emmy-winning HBO series that gets deep into the political side of the Roman Empire. It shows what life was like for regular Romans, as well as the elite. Famous historical figures like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Brutus, Cassius, Cleopatra, and Calpurnia all make appearances in at least a few episodes each, but you’ll see that there’s a lot more to the Roman Empire than just those citizens.
Rome is streaming now on Max.
