Blood, guts and spectacular spectacle! That’s the promise of Premier Video’s new series Who Dies, directed by Robert Rodati and directed by Roland Emmerich.
The 10-episode series follows Emperor Vespasian (played by Anthony Hopkins) as he sets out to build the iconic Colosseum to appease the people of Rome. At the same time, the series delves behind the scenes of the city to reveal its edgier side with its chariot races, betting and gladiator duels… all to entertain the crowd.
Who will die is Daniel P. An adaptation of Mannix’s book of the same name: A Nonfictional Look at the History of the Roman Games. But the series is primarily a drama. How much is truth and how much historical freedom? Series historical advisor Justin Pollard and screenwriter Robert Rodat answered questions from the British newspaper. standard.
Did Vespasian Exist?
It’s a bit strange to ask this question, but not everyone has the name of every Roman ruler in mind. So, for the avoidance of doubt: Yes, the Emperor Vespasian did exist! The series takes place in the 1st century BC after the suicide of Emperor Nero, the so-called The Year of the Four Emperors begins, during which four successive politicians and soldiers take the throne and attempt to rule.
Vespasian surrounded by his sons, Titus and Domitian
“Vespasian was the smartest and best of them“, explains Justin Pollard.He is not a member of a family of four senators, he had a rather humble beginning in life. He is a soldier, so he is popular among the people.“When Vespasian finally became emperor, it was”For the first time, a middle-class person ascended the throne of Rome.“
Family conflict
Much of the series is devoted to the strained relationship between the two sons of the old emperor, Titus (Tom Hughes), a soldier, and Domitian (Jojo Macari), more of a politician. In short, they don’t love each other. And this is not unusual.
“Not all royal families have the same relationship as you and me in the familyPollard explains.They often don’t really know each other.“As a result, they are competing against themselves for the same goal: to take over after their father’s death.” These families grow apart from each other, they do not have much family love. So you betrayed my brother, so what?“
Queen Bernice
Who else really existed?
There aren’t many characters. After all, there aren’t many historical records from that time. “Only four of them existed… the others were created“, explains creator Robert Rodat.
These are the three Flavians (Vespasian and his sons), but also Bericasia (Lara Wolff), the Jewish queen whom Titus marries. “She is a very strong woman at a time when we don’t hear much about womenPollard explains.She is Jewish and yet she falls in love with Titus, who is the man who destroys Jerusalem and burns the Second Temple, and becomes her lover, and she is a big supporter of the Flavians.“
“The Romans had a macho view of life and hated the idea of controlling women.“As a result, Berikatsi was exiled from the city, which the series describes in detail. “It is clear that they had a very cordial relationship, but at the end of the day she is an oriental woman and it is not acceptable for a member of the Roman imperial family to be in a relationship with her.“
Was the Coliseum really built for “the people”?
The series opens with the groundbreaking of a brand new Coliseum, which Vespasian (Anthony Hopkins) announces to the skeptical upper classes will be dedicated entirely to the people of Rome. Much to their dismay, we see their tired expressions.
This actually happened and it was an attempt to calm these people down. Vespasian wanted to use the land that Nero had taken for himself to build a palace to build the Colosseum. In doing so, Nero demolished thousands of houses to build the Domus aurea (or Golden House), a huge imperial palace.
After he became emperor, Vespasian undertook the task of restoring this occupied space to return it to the Romans. “It is a very shrewd political decision to build a huge recreation center on land stolen from themPollard says.
Roman revolts
The first episodes of “The About to Die” show riots in the capital, where residents, enraged by the lack of food, try to storm the capital. According to Justin Pollard, this is unfortunately a common occurrence. This is a famous period”Bread and circus games“, he explains.A million people lived in Rome and they were quite passive about diet, games and entertainment.“
However, The About to Die begins with a famine, which clearly heightens the tension in the town. “Rome is a bit of a powder keg, there’s always that tick-tock that every Roman emperor can hear.“The other problem,” he explains, “is that ancient Rome was very flammable.
“The poor had no kitchen at all. They lived in an insula, which is actually an apartment building, and they went out to eat in these little taverns. In front they had a big oven and a coal pit.“And when they start beating these Brazilians (like during a riot), the whole city goes up in smoke.”
Were the Romans into sports?
The Romans never tired of sports: it is calculated that a third of the money spent in ancient Rome was spent on it. And forget gladiators: chariot racing was where the most money was made (at least until the Colosseum was built). “There were four factions: Reds, Whites, Blues, and Greens” – explains Pollard. They were walking around the huge amphitheater, the Circus Maximus, in front of a cheering crowd.
It’s absolutely like the Super Cup or the Premier League (England’s football championship, editor’s note). An entire family, for generations, supported a particular color or faction. Runners become incredibly rich.
Besides, it’s a whole world in itself. “The finances of the Circus Maximus worked, the fact that there were 250,000 people in it and 35,000 people lived under it. Criminals, prostitutes, bookies, that kind of thingRodat adds.At that time, or just a few years later, there were 200 days of play during which the city came to a standstill. It was just pure entertainment. Every day was like Coachella. He was like a burnt man all day. It was crazy.“
Scorpus (Dimitri Leonidas), a tank driver who plays an important role in the series, is an example of this sports madness. “There was a real Scorpio who started out as a slave. He was Iberian, but he bought his freedom because when you get good, people literally throw money in your face as you move. Although he died quite young, we know that a few years later another charioteer named Diocles earned between 25 and 35 million sesterces during his career.“
For context: Michael Jordan is worth about $4.5 billion. In today’s money, Diocles would be worth between 15 and 20 billion dollars. This makes him the richest athlete of all time.
Tank sabotage
Money Is Synonymous With Danger : The second episode of the series describes an attempt to sabotage Scorpus’ tank: replacing a wheel axle with another axle that breaks off on the way, nearly killing him.
As expected, it actually happened. “There are cases of pure and simple corruption to slow down riders, or to poison horses, or to kill or suppress them.“, explains Justin Pollard The tanks themselves were destroyed. It was exactly a modern sport. It is so valuable that it becomes a bad practice.“
Who Will Die is currently on Prime Video
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
