Life and Death in Rome : The History Channel

[RoyGBiv]

I tend to view the History Channel as entertainment and not actual history, which is what it is most of the time. However, my interest in history still draws me to it on occasion, especially when the editorial staff decides to acknowledge the world did exist before WWII.

I've been watching Life and Death in Rome this evening, and it too is in large part entertainment, but it's something more. There's a subtle indictment of the current powers-that-be running through the theme, a predictable "fall of Rome" analogy that relates to the modern US.

Given some recent programming that seems to do nothing but glorify military conquest and demonize anyone who by accident of birth lives in the Middle east, I find this surprising and have been suspicious throughout. I finally feel I can comment, however, that the critique of what's happening now is clear.

Rome too had its 9/11, and it set civilization back 1000 years as a ridiculous Emperor somehow came to the conclusion that more conquest, more expense, tighter authority, and fewer freedoms were the answer to an empty treasury, inherent corruption, imminent external threats, and a world that was looking for leadership and finding none in traditional places. When Rome was sacked by the Visigoths, the Emperor fretted over the life of his chicken, returning to sleep when he learned it was "only" the city that was burning and that the chicken had indeed been fed and that his slaves were not reporting a fowl murder.

The actor even looked a bit like a young Dubya.

Give it a watch when it runs again. I was both entertained and educated.

[Connie_Corleone]

1. I like watching documentaries about Rome...

since it looks like the United States might be heading towards the same fate unfortunately, IF we don't get these neocons and fundies out of office. I'll have to catch the rerun later.

[roguevalley]

2. they are piggy backing it with HBO's Rome. This is so much like

now in some ways. Truly entertaining and thought provoking.

[Lex]

7. I've been thoroughly enjoying HBO's "Rome"--

it's very well done.

[Mabus]

3. It's been good

I've been watching the History Channel's "Rome Week" off and on for the past few days. It has been both entertaining and informative. Moreover, it has been helpful in putting the HBO series (which I am hooked on) into a better context. I especially enjoyed this evening's other show on Roman engineering. I also found out that Buckaroo Bonzai's Peter Weller teaches at Syracuse University. I looked it up on imdb.com and found that he is going for a PhD.

I agree with you, thoughts of a certain reckless ruler kept popping into my head too.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about giving it a watch if you get a chance.

[Arugula Latte]

4. I just watched a documentary on ancient Rome

My son picked it out of the library -- he's 8 1/2 and very interested in history. (I'm so proud of that kid and his sister...don't get me started). Anyway, I pointed out to him some of the parallels of Rome and our country. He was very intrigued.

He despises Bush -- we've taught him well.

[Skink]

5. They had a series of incompetent rulers.....

we are only at the begining.

[lpbk2713]

6. This History Channel does a lot of commercials on the Limbaugh show

Now I get the connection.

[bklyncowgirl]

8. Rome actually alternated between great, terrible and ordinary

That's what kept them going for over 400 years. Here's the ones I know best.

Julius Caesar: Great, if you don't mind Imperialists--he was damn good at what he did and was the leader of the Populares the party that advanced the cause of ordinary Romans against the elites.

Augustus: Great, if you don't mind that part about dismantling what was left of the Roman Republic.

Tiberius: Sort of a mix--he was by all accounts a sexual degenerate and child molester but even though he hung out on Capri with his collection of little boys, women and god knows what, he had very competent people working for him and the Empire ran smoothly.

Caligula: Terrible.

Claudius: Another mixed bag. An historian by profession, he governed well but got alot of bad press for the horrible behavior of his wives.

Nero: Terrible

Galba, Nerva and the other guy whose name I can't remember: None of them lasted long enough to make much of a difference anyway by the end of the Year of the Four Emperors they were all dead.

Vespasian: Great--If you don't mind that bit about the destruction of Jerusalem. A no bullshit general with a great sense of humor. He put the Empire back on its financial feet by taxing the hell out of everyone and everything including the recyclers who carted urine away from the public toilets--they used it for bleach. When his son Titus complained that this was disgusting, Vespasian held up a coin and said "Money doesn't stink". He also is supposed to have said after he found out how much his funeral was going to cost, "I'll take a hundred thousand down and you can just throw me in the Tiber." I've heard that public urinals in Rome are still called "Vespasians" in his honor.

Titus: Good. By all accounts a really great guy. Had the bad luck to have Mount Vesuvius erupt during his reign but coordinated disaster relief efforts well and the area was able to recover.

Domitian: Bad. A real asshole, he gave his father Vespasian fits while growing up and was a thorn in the side of his brother Titus. Once in power he went after everyone who ever did him wrong. On the whole though the Empire continued in pretty good shape throughout his reign.

And so it went on. The good, the bad, and the ugly for 400 years.