Rome on HBO

[+ purplekow]

I have been watching the initial episodes of the second season of the HBO series Rome, after enjoying the first season. While the first season certainly had its share of sexuality and sexual intrigue, the second season seems rife with homosexuality of all kinds. In the latest episode the deflowering of a 12 year old son of a thief by an older thief from another street gang, is the inciting factor in an escalating revenge fest which features rape, murder, amputation of genitals and a final act of revenge in which a man is drown in a public toilet and anally raped at the same time. Another subplot has a beautiful, younger appearing than his age, assassin offering himself to an old man in charge of hiring for the household of the rich and powerful woman who the assassin is trying to kill. Several times the young assassin is shown being mounted by the elderly house officer.

While I find the show compelling, the storylines fascinating and intricately interwoven and the sex scenes stirring and mesmerizing, I wonder if anyone else who has seen the show is concerned about the linking of violence and homosexual activity. I know sex and violence go together like Ben and Jerry, or Tom and Jerry, or Dean and Jerry but shouldn't this be counterbalanced by a depiction of loving, consensual sexual encounters?

[JT Brooklyn]

IMHO..."ROME' Now is one of the Best Series around!

 

As far as "Sex & Violence", The Hetero's are way ahead of the Homo's in this Series. Would I like to see 2 Guy's Prancing around in Toga's throwing Flower Petals at each other... HELL NO! LOL

 

The Best Line of the Night was... "Did He Not Get Paid" for Sucking the man's cock?"

 

As far as I am concerned, you Take The Money, the Deal is Sealed!

 

No Offense But...The OLD Hawk who got his Dick Cut Off, probably deserved it also!

 

IMHO of course. LOL :P

[Epigonos]

In the past film makers, especially those in Hollywood, have created their films about Rome using Judeo-Christian morality. This is simply wrong historically. Rome certainly had a series of moral values BUT there were most definitely NOT Judeo-Christian. Watching the current HBO series can, at times, be difficult because it more accurately attempts to use Roman morality as its basis which some people find offensive and shocking. Frankly I find it refreshing and much more historically accurate.

 

Sadly many people today have come to view the past through contemporary eyes with contemporary standards, comtemporary values and contemporary morality. Unfortunately this creates a totally false image of the past and a constant attempt my some, including some historians, to revise history to meet current beliefs -- thus we have a entire school of revisionist historiography

[pierrot]

I am really enjoying the Rome series, and agree wholeheartedly with Epigonos about anachronistic views that usually color historical films. But they've at least made the effort to avoid that in Rome. I also cannot be upset by the way they link homosexuality and violence, because in truth they link all sexuality and violence. In fact violence is rife in the film, just as it certainly was in the Rome of the Caesars.

Of course, I would watch James Purefoy (Marc Anthony) in anything, especially if he takes his clothes off. Wow, he is hot! I understand that they asked him to do a frontal nudity scene and he refused. Too bad, it would have made my week.

[Guest EWC]

>>Of course, I would watch James Purefoy (Marc Anthony) in

>anything, especially if he takes his clothes off. Wow, he is

>hot! I understand that they asked him to do a frontal nudity

>scene and he refused. Too bad, it would have made my week.

In the first season there was a terrific scene of MA standing in his courtyard receiving visitors, totally frontally nude and having a slave shave his back and shoulders. It was very hot. The 1st season is available on DVD, and it's a must buy.

[jackhammer91406]

This past week's episode had Marc Antony entering the bath with Atia and we caught a nice side view of his equipment, though not enough, better than nothing.

 

I agree with other posters;

The authenticity of violence with regards to all sexuality is what balances the program for me. I am very much a fan of this series and have been since episode one last year (when incidentally, in the opening credits one of the pieces of animated graffiti on a pan past a wall ((removed after the first airing)) had a couple copulating fiercely).

 

The show is well done and comes closest I think to reproducing what the real Rome must have been like in all aspects. An authenticity that has been lacking . the closest we have seen was perhaps the oyster scene from SPARTACUS (deleted for many years), and perhaps Fellini's SATYRICON (short on coherent plot but long on eye candy) and of course Penthouse's CALIGULA.

 

Bravo HBO

[Guest ript4hire]

BIG fan of the show here ... have seen every episode. I would agree

with you about the linking of homosexual sex and violence ... if it were

any other show. But with the nature of "Rome" ... EVERYONE is violent

(the men anyway) and the raping and pillaging is definitely happening on

both sides. Season One had Marc Antony stopping his brigade so he could

bend a shepardess over and plow her while they all watched. This season

had that black market fella tell Lucius Verenus that he had raped and

murdered his female children. And the young sexy assassin isn't really

a violent character at all - he is using seduction the same way that

Atia does, and to the same end.

 

Oh and remember when Atia thought her son had dallied with Ceasar in

season one? No violence there at all ...

 

Bottom line, I love how frank they are with it and I totally feel they

are giving it equal weight with the hetero sex ... which we've been told

by historians is how the Romans swung anyway :9

 

Eric

[+ purplekow]

I believe that this show goes to great lengths to be authentic but with an eye toward modern sensibilities, for example, the people area much better groomed for the most part, than I imagine they would have been in Rome. The political intrigue, the backstabbing and double dealings, mostly factual, rival any drama since that time. I firmly suggest that any that are not now watching Rome to get season one on DVD and then catch up with season two.

[Rod Hagen]

Spent 7 minutes tonight trying to find out the name of the actor, the remarkably beautiful actor, playing the Assassin Duro. Anyone one have better luck than me? THANKS!

[Rod Hagen]

Never mind; found him:

 

http://imdb.com/name/nm1969169/

[+ purplekow]

>Never mind; found him:

>

>http://imdb.com/name/nm1969169/

>

>These pictures pale in comparison to his appearance in Rome. It is appropriate that his name is Duro cause he gets me hard, though he is probably nicknamed Duro for his hard heart as an assassin.

[BgMstr4u]

Rafi Gavron -- he's also in "Breaking and Entering", the new Anthony Minghella film, in release now. I enjoyed the film, in which he plays a troubled teenager who does breaking and entering jobs for his corrupt Bosnian uncle in London. He's lovely (no nude scenes in B&E), and quite a convincing actor. He has a silent and intense look to him that I can imagine serves him well in "Rome". I missed the latest episode and now have even more reason to catch it.

[Rod Hagen]

>serves him well in "Rome". I missed the latest episode and

>now have even more reason to catch it.

 

I'm concerned about his role in this show, however. Last season the two most significant characters were Caesar, whom all the critics seemed to like, and Octavian, who I think is brilliant (if you don't recognize him, he's the one-armed fop from "Master and Commander") but the critics were usually too busy fauning over, justifiably, the women in the show to pay him much mind.

 

Now Caesar is dead, of course, and when Octavian comes back from amassing his army, another, older, actor is going to play him, which is a bit silly because the original actor has aged quite a bit, and nicely, since last season and could easily be made to look the young age Octavian was when he started taking on Marc Anthony in earnest. With those two fantastic actors gone, the guy playing Caesar and the boy/man playing Octavian, all we are left with is the women. But that's just Dynasty.

 

Then Duro steps in and WOW! But, his attempt to kill Attia will fail next week, of course, and I'm afraid the lunkheads at HBO/BBC will allow his character to be killed as a result. Then what have we got? I'm SO TIRED of lucius verinus. I hope Duro proves difficult to kill, the show needs him. But I wish I wish they weren't replacing Octavian.

[+ purplekow]

>Then Duro steps in and WOW! But, his attempt to kill Attia

>will fail next week, of course, and I'm afraid the lunkheads

>at HBO/BBC will allow his character to be killed as a result.

>Then what have we got? I'm SO TIRED of lucius verinus. I

>hope Duro proves difficult to kill, the show needs him. But I

>wish I wish they weren't replacing Octavian.

 

 

While his attempt to kill Atia will fail, I believe he will reveal the stew to be poisoned and blame the plump kitchen worker who obviously has a crush on him. She will take the fall after he tells Atia he saw her put something in the stew and also followed her to Sevillia's home. I believe Atia will then have him try to kill Sevillia. Anyway, that's what would happen if I were writing the show. Anything to keep that beautiful boy/man in the mix. This would not be out of character for Duro, an assassin and clearly a man used to using his sexuality to gain advantage. He also has shown strength of purpose and an ability to use his advantages well, such as in getting a kiss from Sevillia before being willing to kill Atia.

 

I have no pre-knowledge of next week's episode, just a desire to keep drool worthy men on the show.

[poiuyt]

Yes! And as the series shows, half the ancient Romans had blue eyes and spoke with English accents. It's true!

[+ purplekow]

>Yes! And as the series shows, half the ancient Romans had

>blue eyes and spoke with English accents. It's true!

 

 

While you point is valid, its a tv show and while bit parts are more easily handed to people who look more like the Romans did, the starring roles are going to the best actor, presumably. If the actor owns the part, the external looks are less important. Buy the actor in the role, buy the movie. So if it is not too distracting a casting trick, "Julie Andrews is Julius Caesar" , it shouldn't matter.

[+ Axiom2001]

Last night after my regular escort had left me aglow in the hotel room, I decided to order room service. While I waited for my meal to arrive, I turned to "HBO.," and guess what fellows, "Rome" was on. I was amazed by the homoerotic and candid depiction of some homosexual acts. Although perplexed by the candor, I enjoyed this segment and, out of curiosity as to the story, I do think that I will make a conscious effort to continue to watch this saga. (I have a problem as to when something is showing on "HBO" and the like, but will do an internet schedule check for this and other shows.)

 

The boi/man who is mentioned in two or three of the responses here is a pure vision; he is soooooooooooooo cute and inviting, almost etheral looking!!!! :9

[Guest DickHo]

>Of course, I would watch James Purefoy (Marc Anthony) in

>anything, especially if he takes his clothes off. Wow, he is

>hot! I understand that they asked him to do a frontal nudity

>scene and he refused. Too bad, it would have made my week.

 

I agree with you and, in season one, he did a full frontal nude scene: his squire is grooming him after a bath while talks to Lucius. I can't tell you how many times I watched that scene.

 

I also think Brutus is sexy and we see his big uncut schlong in last week's episode. Too bad MA and Brutus have to die for Octavian to become emperor. I wonder how they will handle the whole Antony and Cleopatra thing, 3 children and double suicide and all...and Octavian kills all the kids, yikes!

[JT Brooklyn]

IMHO...Octavian is a little to Effeminate for me!

 

IF and When "Blond/Blue" Goes, there will be No Sexy Men left, Other than M.A. Who we all know is a Goner. Then again isn't everyone a Goner, eventually!

 

So let the "Togas Fall Where They May", on the Best Roman Series yet!

 

Of course MY all time Favorite will be "I Claudius" ...

 

Although I did see a good one also on the Military Channel! LOL :P

[RockHard]

"With those two fantastic actors gone, the guy playing Caesar and the boy/man playing Octavian, all we are left with is the women."

 

Many historians believe Ancient Rome was, in fact, run by its women. The glory for the men was to go away to fight one more war.

 

Even though the story is being cleverly told through the lives of Lucius and Titus, I agree with Rod, I miss Ciarán Hinds as Caesar and I will miss Max Pirkis as Octavius/Caesar Augustus. But, given this is Rome's last season, the story will end before the truly juicy rulers get their chance to enter.

 

HBO is playing loose with the story and the timeline but the show might be boring for most Americans, otherwise. Julius Caesar died in 44 BC and Octavius was away studying in Apollonia at the time. Octavius was age 19 when Caesar died. In 40 BC, Octavius gave his sister, Octavia, to Mark Antony in marriage (as a sort of anti-Egypt truce). And Suetonius wrote that Antony claimed to be an heir to Julius Caesar, too, based on the number of sexual favors Antony gifted Caesar with. (I'm sure Caesar loved sucking Praetorian cock.)

 

Antony had two daughters with Octavia and three children with Cleopatra. Octavius' final declaration of war on Antony came when Antony decreed three Roman provinces to Cleopatra's children, a controversial decision with self-destruct written all over it, which led to the Battle of Actium. The Battle of Actium took place in 31 BC when Octavius was 32. I have a feeling HBO will try to cover a very active and turbulent 13 years in one season and I doubt Max Pirkis could look age 32 by season's end.

[Rod Hagen]

>[ The Battle of Actium took place in 31 BC when Octavius

>was 32. I have a feeling HBO will try to cover a very active

>and turbulent 13 years in one season and I doubt Max Pirkis

>could look age 32 by season's end.

 

You are of course right. I'm just sad to see him go. Hey, after the Actium battle, who was the friend of MA who stabbed himself in an attempt to not be captured by the roman soldiers (I think he did this in Carthage) and when he was bandaged up REOPENED the would and shoved the knife back in? I have a clear image of the paining of this event, but I don't remember who did it. OR am I confusing this with an earlier event and a friend of Pompei's?

[BgMstr4u]

The series will undoubtedly focus on the civil war years, and if it is true to history, will show the maturation of Octavian. I think the kid playing him at this point is terrific -- an excellent combination of watchful passivity and decisive action, with just the right amount of conscienceless violence thrown in. The more recent histories now are acknowledging what the ancients clearly understood -- that Octavian became Augustus because he scared the entire world shitless. His victories were almost all very bloody affairs, particularly the utter destruction of Perugia, which finds its way into Virgil's early poetry. The consensus emerging now is that Octavian understood that Rome could only function against the backdrop of a monopoly of power in one set of hands. He did not make the mistake Julius Caesar did and set his foot on the path to monarchy, but made sure that there were no rivals left. His political genius was then to turn this power into a stable system which brought back the form of the Republic but without the inter-family struggles which had led already to three recent civil wars. Here the cunning and reticent portrayal of the young Octavian in the series is absolutely on target. I am looking forward to his emergence as the ruthless general and then the wise "first citizen" (princeps). I hope the series will give enough attention to the character that emerges after Actium. Augustus founded a system that lasted, with minor tweaking, longer than any other in human history -- 500 years in the West, and 1500 in the East. He was a genius, the greatest political genius in the history of the world, in my opinion.

[+ ArVaGuy]

This has been an excellent series and may be the best dramatization of this period since I Claudius was produced by the BBC and aired by PBS in the late '70's. While the narrative has had to be compressed by the requirements of teledramas the producers have done an incredible job of presenting the facts and the drama of the time. The casting has been outstanding (Pirkus is one to watch in the future) and the story arch is compelling.

 

For those who want to read up on this period I would suggest two books by historian Anthony Everitt. His bio of Cicero was a best seller in 2002. Recently the bio of Augustus was released and it's a well drawn portrait of Octavian's youth and his rise to power ultimately becoming princeps (first citizen) of the empire.

 

It's too bad that HBO found the ratings lower than anticipated and won't be offering up a third season. To follow the succession struggle as Augustus ages would likley be just as compelling.

[pierrot]

Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I am impressed by the amount of erudition on this list. Thanks Rockhard and BGmuscle for your posts.

I'm really enjoying "Rome" immensely and find all the acting quite good. The script is incredible, the sort of thing you usually only get on the BBC (rarely or never on American TV).

The actors playing Octavian and Dorus are too twinky for my taste, but Marc Antony is a sex god. His full frontal moments were too brief, but I can dream.

[Lookin]

> Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I am impressed by the amount of erudition on this list.

 

You know, I was thinking exactly the same thing. Every poster has added insight and made the program more enjoyable. It's nice to find out what all lies behind the tunic!