Guide Note

Rome is an award-winning historical television drama about the transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

Based on historically significant figures and fictional ones, the story revolves around two common men, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson), Roman soldiers in Julius Caesar's army. The episodes chronicle the lives of family, friends, and foes in Lucius and Pullo's world as well as the lives of rich and powerful upper class Romans.

Fast Facts

1. Created by: Bruno Heller, John Milius, William J. MacDonald
2. Starring: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Lindsay Duncan, James Purefoy, Ciarán Hinds, Kerry Condon, Indira Varma, Max Pirkis, Tobias Menzies, Kenneth Cranham, Simon Woods, Zuleikha Robinson
3. Release Date: August 28, 2005

Season 1 spans an eight year period from 52 B.C. to 44 B.C.. It depicts Julius Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) at the end of the Gallic Wars taking over the Roman Senate, becoming the supreme ruler of Rome and eventually being assassinated on the Ides of March.

Season 2 spans a fourteen year period from 44 B.C. to 30 B.C.. It depicts Mark Antony (James Purefoy) and Octavian (Simon Woods) struggling for control over Rome, Antony meeting Cleopatra, and Octavian's rise to power as the first Emperor of Rome, Augustus.

HBO and BBC agreed to produce the series for two seasons and a budget of $100 million USD. The show was filmed on the Cinecittá Studios in Rome, Italy. It is one of the most expensive television series ever produced and the 5-acre set is considered one of the largest free standing sets created for a production.

1. The series required over 4,000 pieces of wardrobe.
2. Approximately 1,250 pairs of period shoes and sandals were made in Bulgaria.