I just finished watching episode 10 of season 2 of HBO’s Rome. I didn’t know it would be the season finale (I assume it WAS the season finale by everything that happened.) and I didn’t know the show had been cancelled. Fantastic end to a fantastic show, really. Afterwards I did some searching around for some historical references because I thought they took a few artistic liberties with some of the events in Egypt. They did of course, but they got the broad strokes right, and it doesn’t really matter. It is great TV and I have no idea why they would cancel something like this. There is so much more Rome to tell. Maybe the same producers will take up Greece or Sparta or Alexander the Great. We can only hope.

The best part of historical perspective I found, if you can believe what you read on forums and whatnot, is that Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, the two main Centurion characters from the show, actually have a thread of historical significance. Turns out that they are the only lower-level soldiers written about by Julius Caesar himself. Very small footnote of history that the Rome writers expanded upon. I read all sorts of different accounts on different sites, some claiming they were totally fictional, and some claiming more or less what I’ve said here. It was only in this thread about the show on Ancient Roman Empire Forums that the passage from Caesar’s De Bello Gallico is quoted:

In that legion there were two very brave men, centurions, who were now approaching the first ranks, T. Pullo, and L. Vorenus. These used to have continual disputes between them which of them should be preferred, and every year used to contend for promotion with the utmost animosity. When the fight was going on most vigorously before the fortifications, Pullo, one of them, says, “Why do you hesitate, Vorenus? or what [better] opportunity of signalizing your valor do you seek? This very day shall decide our disputes.” When he had uttered these words, he proceeds beyond the fortifications, and rushes on that part of the enemy which appeared the thickest. Nor does Vorenus remain within the rampart, but respecting the high opinion of all, follows close after. Then, when an inconsiderable space intervened, Pullo throws his javelin at the enemy, and pierces one of the multitude who was running up, and while the latter was wounded and slain, the enemy cover him with their shields, and all throw their weapons at the other and afford him no opportunity of retreating. The shield of Pullo is pierced and a javelin is fastened in his belt. This circumstance turns aside his scabbard and obstructs his right hand when attempting to draw his sword: the enemy crowd around him when [thus] embarrassed. His rival runs up to him and succors him in this emergency. Immediately the whole host turn from Pullo to him, supposing the other to be pierced through by the javelin. Vorenus rushes on briskly with his sword and carries on the combat hand to hand, and having slain one man, for a short time drove back the rest: while he urges on too eagerly, slipping into a hollow, he fell. To him, in his turn, when surrounded, Pullo brings relief; and both having slain a great number, retreat into the fortifications amid the highest applause. Fortune so dealt with both in this rivalry and conflict, that the one competitor was a succor and a safeguard to the other, nor could it be determined which of the two appeared worthy of being preferred to the other.

History is usually so much better than fiction.

If you haven’t watched the show, find it, buy it, steal it, whatever, just watch it.