Those who are about to die review - a look at the Amazon TV Series set in first century AD Rome

[@vvashington]

Great video! A series of lectures on the Flavians would be much appreciated. They’re tragically under-discussed. In particular, I’d love to hear your take on the recent efforts to rehabilitate Domitian’s image

[@Krommer1000]

You've got more patience than me. I made it through one episode, and didn't have the stamina for anymore.

[@PalleRasmussen]

I did not even try to watch. I mostly do not. Amazon has two good series... Three; The Legend of Vox Machina, Fallout, and Man in The High Castle.

[@illerac84]

@@PalleRasmussen Isn’t this Peacock?

[@DianeCee57]

@@illerac84 Its on amazon in the UK.

[@PalleRasmussen]

@@illerac84 I do not know what that is.

[@manonymous4737]

Way too much CGI - it just looked like a cartoon. Am I right that I seem to remember when CGI landscapes and backgrounds looked quite real? It always looks totally fake now

[@xdz1039]

I didn't go much far. Laughed out loud when "andalusian" horses were mentioned and when I noticed a Caracalla bust. Found that the violence was really overdone. Yes, gladiatoral fights were very bloody and disgusting, but it doesn't make much sense to the sporting industry thing if basically in every fight all gladiators except 1 or 2 die. In fact, IIRC we know that gladiators would perhaps fight dozens of times before being killed. Likely most duels were not to the death. I mean, they even had refeeres and the famous gesture of the index finger shown in the paintings.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

As a history nerd, I started the series with no optimistic expectations at all and watched it in one go. I actually enjoyed it in relation to other "Amaflix"-series. Many, many fine details - nothing eye-catching - that made me assume the producers did at least some homework. Sir Anthony Hopkins was a perfect match for "Vespasian", but that's less important anyway. What always bothers me is of course the legionaries/praetorians/urban cohorts. Too many boys with a leather fetish. They got the shields all right. (And why would Titus always wear his military gear in public and private ?) The Last Kingdom and Vikings were no better, IMHO. Don't remind me of "Barbarians".

[@stevendenny7260]

Thank you for your time Sdrian, amd very much appreciated.

[@dpo1713]

How difficult is it for Hollywood to do the most basic research on Roman military equipment from the time? Too much leather lorica and helmets straight off Trajan's column. I assume they bought a job lot from HBO's Rome.

[@illerac84]

It’s what people expect to see, so it’s what’s shown.

[@voiceofraisin3778]

TV shows are expensive, if you can save a little cash by renting 500 togas or 200 sets of armour and spears from a costume shop its a lot cheaper than making your own.

[@douglassun8456]

If Dr. Goldsworthy writes about Vespasian, that's going right to the top of my reading list.

[@king_cobra5492]

Thank you Professor G.

[@krzysztofstrozyk9673]

I get the fun and show concept but still... it could be sooooo much better and accurate. Greetings from Poland, big fan of your books, historical and novels

[@sao9995]

We will be in Rome and Tunis in September, my fellow Goldsworthy lovers. My wife and I are obsessed with all things Punic. We would love to see everything related to the Phoenicians in Rome, particularly those relevant to the two Scipios. Adrian, if you see this we would be ever so grateful. . .

[@Carelock]

To watch or not to watch…

[@NeilMacMillan-fb3hd]

to Adrian Goldsworthy regarding your book in the name of Rome how could you omit Aurelian

[@zoobee]

Adrian, could you do a video on Gladiator, and whether it captures the spirit of imperial Rome, despite the historical fantasies within it

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

He already did.

[@QuantumHistorian]

I didn't dislike the series, but I disagree that the sets and the CGI look good. The big set pieces (apart from one terrible flamey explosions) are fine. But lots of the mundane sets indoors look like poor CGI. They try to hide a lot of this by filming at night, or in low light, or to keep the background blurry, but that's frankly even more irritating. Even the very low budget _I, Claudius_ did a better job of convincing me that the rooms people are in are real. Apart from that, my problem with the show is that there are too many threads, and lots of them lead nowhere. I could never remember which Spanish brother was which. The youngest Numidian daughter basically does nothing for the middle half of the season. Stenax' childhood came back to haunt him very dramatically... for two scenes, and has no impact on anything before or after. The show would have been better with a little less breadth and a little more depth. But apart that it's decent. There are nice shades of morality, some characters get meaningful development, the pacing is broadly right, and much more. It's not particularly memorable, but it is broadly enjoyable in the right mindset.

[@anneneill5009]

I may catch this show if I take out a month’s Amazon Prime subscription to watch autumn series rugby, and I feel the need to get my money’s worth; that would be the only basis. But the free, historically forensic deconstruction in this broadcast is likely to be the best aspect of this show 😂

[@NeilMacMillan-fb3hd]

Ihave just about all of your books they are excellent keep writing your books well worth the reading your book the Complete Roman Army is very thorough your scholarship is impressive keep writing and I will keep buying

[@jannarkiewicz633]

I have a lot to catch up on. Sorry, Dr. Goldsworthy. My best friend and I would put on sheets (togas) and watch the Spartacus series then again we were unauthentic Viking hats to watch Vikings.

[@Unreliablecaptionbot]

What about a review of For Those About to Rock

[@r0ky_M]

Re:American Wild West: it really surprised me how short that period actually was when researching such.

[@mnk9073]

Is it perfect? No. Is it a lot better than the drivel that is around? Absolutely. HBO's _Rome_ reigns supreme although also not without flaws.

[@expatexpat6531]

I didn't think it was a great series, partly because none of the characters were really likeable, as you mentioned. And, I also didn't think the CGI was that good. However, series II of The Rings of Power was very disappointing - so watch the chariot races any day in preference to that.

[@teddyjackson1902]

It’s absolutely terrible.

[@DianeCee57]

I decided to give it a try. Vespasian is my favourite Emperor & also Anthony Hopkins who is a legend is a great actor; so I threw my viewers hat into the ring. I lasted 1 episode. Hopkins was the most masculine man in the show & he's 85. The performances were bland - the actors had zero ability overall. The use of green screen is well past boring. The script was flat, the show rammed everyone in with little character development. Overall another example of a terrible tv show that is already forgotten after it's all dropped. NPC/Normies/MC laptop luvvies will no doubt enjoy it with their jumbo glass of vegan organic Chilean Ocado plonk as they anesthetise themselves with yet another piece of lame Hollywood garbage.

[@Casmaniac]

Too many cooks in the kitchen. So many characters and plotlines, none of them get to breathe. Everything in FTATD is rushed. The characters are very shallow. Especially Titus and Domitian imo