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Rome - The Complete First Season
Directors: Michael Apted, Allen Coulter, Timothy Van Patten
Actors: Ciaran Hinds, Polly Walker, James Purefoy, Lindsay Duncan, and Indira Varma
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Retail Price (not our price): $99.98
Release Date: 2006-08-15
Theatrical Release Date: 2005-08-28
Studio: HBO Home Video
Run Time: 619 minutes
Format: Array
Format: AC-3, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Discs: 6


Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
Family dysfunction. Treachery. Betrayal. Coarse profanity. Brutal violence. Graphic (and sometimes brutal) sex. No, it's not The Sopranos, it's Rome, HBO's madly ambitious series that bloodily splatters the glory of Rome just as savagely as Monty Python and the Holy Grail soiled the good name of Camelot (but with far fewer laughs; very few funny things happen on the way to this forum). Set in 52 B.C. (Before Cable), Rome charts the dramatic shifts in the balance of power between former friends Pompey Magnus (Kenneth Cranham), leader of the Senate, and Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds), whose imminent return after eight years to Rome after conquering the Gauls, has the ruling class up in arms. At the heart of Rome is the odd couple friendship between two soldiers who fortuitously become heroes of the people. Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) is married, honorable, and steadfast. Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) is an amoral rogue whose philosophy is best summed up, "I kill my enemies, take their gold, and enjoy their women." Among Rome's most compelling subplots is Lucius's strained relationship with his wife, Niobe (Indira Varma), who is surprised to see her husband alive (but not as surprised as he is to find her upon his homecoming with a newborn baby in her arms!) Any viewer befuddlement over Rome's intrigues and machinations, and determining who is hero and who is foe, disappears the minute Golden Globe-nominee Polly Walker appears as Atia, Caesar's formidable niece and a villainess for the ages. In the first hour alone, she offers her already married daughter as a bride to the recently widowed Pompey. One eagerly awaits to see what (or who) she'll do next as much as we anticipate her comeuppance in the final episode. Rome is a painstakingly mounted production that earned eight well-deserved Emmy nominations in such categories as costumes, set design, and art direction. Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter) was honored with a Director's Guild Award for the first episode, "The Stolen Eagle." But artistic considerations aside, instantly addicted viewers will agree with Atia, who notes at one point, "I adore the secrecy, the intrigue. It's most thrilling." --Donald LiebensonBeyond the Series The Roman Empire in film and television The Roman Empire in documentaries More HBO DVDsStills from Rome (click for larger image)

2) Description
(HBO Dramatic Series) Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people; epicenter of a sprawling empire. The Republic was founded on principles of shared power and fierce personal competition, never allowing one man to seize absolute control. But now, those foundations are crumbling, eaten away by corruption and excess. After eight years of war, two soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome. A serialized drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, ROME chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of the republic and the birth of an empire.DVD Features:FeaturetteOtherPhoto gallery

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1) Tedious Maximus   [Rating: 2 out of 5]
I really looked forward to seeing some of what looked like an epic historical series based on the Roman empire, but what I ended seeing was a lot of violence and sex, and that seems to be the major draw of the series. Of course, a genuine Roman history buff might appreciate it more, and this series does have a certain epic quality about it. I could even cope with Romans speaking with British accents (what are British actors supposed to speak with?) if I had actually found a character or two to care about. It seemed like everyone was callous and brutal, and maybe that's the way Rome was, but after sitting through the first episode of this first season, I found myself not wanting to watch any more. I'm sure Rome will go on without me, and my best advice is to find a way to "try before you buy" and plunk down a lot of money to find it's not what you expected.

2) Rome   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Recieved seasons 1 and2. Haven't watched either yet. Sorry, I'm way behind, my ordering got way ahead of my watching.

3) ROME - The Best Series EVER   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
ROME is the Best Series EVER. . . It's just ashame that there were only two seasons. . . If you liked ancient History, you'll LOVE ROME!

4) First set defective, Amazon quickly replaced   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
This was a gift to my brother. The first set of discs had a defect that caused them to skip and not play properly. I called Amazon customer service and they sent out a replacement set right away. The 2nd set was perfect. My brother enjoyed the DVDs and said he thought though there was more graphic sex and violence than on regular TV, that was accurate to what went on in Roman times. I watched the series when it was on cable TV, and I thought the acting was excellent. My only complaint is the Roman women in it, according to history, were pious but they certainly are not portrayed that way in the series. However, it does make for good drama, though not accurate.

5) Put Your Scandal and Tunic On For A Trip Back In Time. . .   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Although I wasn't sure what to expect, Rome has far exceeded my expectations. The series presents what seems to be an entirely plausible vision of life in the those turbulent times. The characters are well drawn, and although I love to hate some of them, there are some very poignant momens. Rome is definitely not for children as it features some rough laungage, images, and nudity; but for an adult who isn't offended by such things the show presents a vivid and vital glimpse into the way people lived in the past. I can't speak for the historic accuracy of the story of Ceasar, Marc Anthony, and Pompi--but taken as a work of fiction this exciting series can't fail to entertain. If you like Gladiator, you'll love Rom.