Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire

Ancient Rome: the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire is a 2006 BBC One docudrama series, with each episode looking at a different time in the Roman Empire. The first episode was broadcast on 21st September 2006 and then on subsequent Thursdays. The series was produced by Mark Hedgecoe.

Broadcast order controversy

In their first broadcast on BBC 1, the episodes have not all been broadcast in chronological order. When the series was broadcast on the Discovery Channel as Battle for Rome, from 5 November 2006 onwards, the episodes were broadcast in their chronological order (ie Gracchus, then Caesar, then Nero, then as BBC order).

#	Airdate	Title	Promotional plot summary	Cast
1	21 September	Nero	Life of the emperor Nero, a madman who sent many to their deaths. He tried to re-build Rome entirely so that it would be perfect, believing that he was a god and a great artist. However, the episode argues against the myth that he 'fiddled whilst Rome burned'.	Nero - Michael Sheen Poppea Sabina - Catherine McCormack Tigellinus - James Wilby Seneca the Younger - Hugh Dixon Natalis - Michael Maloney Piso - Hugh Ross Scaevinus - Trevor Cooper Faenius Rufus - Ben Pullen Milichus - Alex Lowe Historical consultant - Mary Beard
2	28 September	Caesar	Julius Caesar's Gallic and civil wars, beginning with the siege of Alesia	Caesar - Sean Pertwee Mark Antony - Alex Ferns Pompey - John Shrapnel Marcellus - Karl Johnson Titus Labienus - Simon Dutton Historical consultant - Mary Beard
3	5 October	Revolution	Life of Tiberius Gracchus. Rome was once a largely democratic society, with regular elections. This Republic lasted for 500 years, but then came Tiberius Gracchus. He believed in the ideals of the Republic - fairness, decency and justice for everyone -but was appalled by Rome's aristocrats' treatment of the poor. So he unleashed the power of the mob upon the streets of Rome, with devastating consequences.	Tiberius Gracchus - James D'Arcy Claudius Pulcher - David Warner Scipio Nasica - Tom Bell Cornelia Africana - Geraldine James Scipio Aemilianus - Greg Hicks Historical consultant - Mary Beard
4	12 October	Rebellion	The First Jewish-Roman War. This edition tells the story of the Jewish Revolt, which swept through Judea in A.D. 66 and threatened to destabilise the whole empire. Rome turned to the father-and-son team of disgraced General Vespasian and his son Titus to put it down. Filled with spectacular sieges and huge set-piece action, the film pits the discipline and ingenuity of the Roman army against the passion and commitment of the rebels.	Vespasian - Peter Firth Josephus - Ed Stoppard
5	19 October	Constantine	Constantine and the Christianisation of the Empire. Beginning with the battle of the Milvian Bridge and ending with the death of Fausta and Licinius, this edition shows how the Emperor Constantine brought Christianity to the western world. In AD 312, Rome was in crisis. The empire had been divided into four parts, each with its own emperor who fought one another. Constantine intervened and united Rome, using military might and a new religion - Christianity.	Constantine - David Threlfall General Gnaeus - John Blakey Lactantius - John Woodvine Maxentius - Charles Dale Bassianus - Andre Havill Fausta - Louise Delamere Bato - Andrew Westfields Senator - Lyall B Watson Licinius - Danny Webb Constantia - Lucy Gaskell Priest - Paul Mooney Historical consultant - Averil Cameron
6	26 October	Fall of Rome	In AD 410, the Goth hordes sacked Rome. This event symbolised Rome's collapse. Within 70 years, the western empire - what we think of as Ancient Rome - was abandoned. But it should never have happened at all.	Olympius - Pip Torrens Athaulf - Alastair MacKenzie Alaric - Mark Lockyer Honorius - Sebastian Armesto Jovius - Philip Jackson Attalus - Simon Kunz Galla Placidia - Natasha Barrero Festus - Ian Lindsay Goth woman - Sabina Netherclift Berig - Andrew Westfield Sarus - Karl Jenkinson Petronius - Lyall B Watson Stilicho - Colin Heber-Percy Emissary - Paul Mooney Historical consultant - Peter Heather

See also

• Ancient Rome
• Roman emperors

External links

• IMDB entry
• Times article