TV SERIES · 2016

Roman Empire

DocumentaryDramaGame ShowWar44 min per episode

Roman Empire recounts the rulers and power struggles that shaped — and destabilized — ancient Rome, opening with Commodus, the emperor whose reign signaled the empire’s decline. The series uses a hybrid format, pairing dramatized scenes with documentary commentary as it moves from Commodus to Julius Caesar’s rise and Caligula’s rule. Aaron Irvin and Jared Turner appear in the reenactments, while historians including Jerry Toner and Barry Strauss provide context on the court intrigue, military campaigns, and succession battles surrounding each figure. The focus stays on the politics of empire: who holds power, how they keep it, and what starts to fracture when rule turns violent.