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Rated 5 out of 5 by LLDW from Best Course I've taken on The Great Courses! I just finished this course. It was fascinating and gripping. Professor Aldrete's lectures were very lively and engaging and his erudition is impressive. His analyses of the films discussed in the course were insightful - reflecting on the cultural perceptions of the times and highlighting interesting information on the film makers. I look forward to re-watching some of these films from a new perspective. I particularly enjoyed Professor Aldrete's energetic gestures (Quintillian?) - they were captivating. And is this not what a lecturer/orator should be able to do - capture and hold his audience? It is admirable to possess academic knowledge. To be able to breath life into it is a gift. I have all of Professor Aldrete's lectures on my wish list. And I will definitely look for any books he may have written.

Date published: 2024-05-14

Rated 5 out of 5 by KLuck from Very Enjoyable This is the fourth course I have taken presented by Prof. Aldrete and although it is not as serious as his other historical courses, it is certainly entertaining. I have seen most of the films he covers and never gave a thought to how historical accurate they were at the time. It would have been nice to see film clips; however, due to copyright laws I am certain that would have resulted in very expensive production costs.

Date published: 2023-09-12

Rated 5 out of 5 by Stainless from My favorite of the great courses I thoroughly enjoyed this course The only thing that stops it from seeming like your friend who is knowledgeable about roman history is telling you about it over a drink is the weird cut in/out music that plays when speaker changes subjects. I really wish there were more lectures like this in different subjects, such as Astrophysicist goes to the movies or War historian goes to the movie. This lecture is well worth the price and time.

Date published: 2023-07-08

Rated 3 out of 5 by Chismo from Enlightening, could have been much better. As an avid enthusiast of anything classical, especially roman culture, I really enjoyed this course. However, I believe that I would have enjoyed it even more, if the lectures had been overlaid at interval with real scenes (not static photos) from the referenced movies, even if the audio was muted, as he performed his analysis. Better still, instead of citing dialogue by actors in the films, he could have simply played the scenes, and thereafter analyzed the dialogue. I have seen most of the movies and TV shows discussed and was able to relate to the professor's commentaries to specific scenes and so was able to appreciate contextual references, but for those I have not seen before, such as "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire," "Satyricon," etc., I was not able to do so, and so my joy was significantly abridged. Is it possible that he was not able to fully access and utilize the films he discussed due to copyright issues? Another observation I made was that, while the professor invoked Roman influences on a number of relatively recent science fiction movies, he omitted what I consider to be the best exemplar of all - Star Wars. I believe that George Lucas' intent was fully conscious when he had Palpatine transform the galaxy into a "galactic empire" and assumed the role of emperor, something that he planned and orchestrated by manipulating everyone around him over a long period (as depicted in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the franchise), much like Julius Caesar did, even though he never technical become emperor. Hence, the rebellion led by Luke and Leia was the parallel of that by Spartacus and other freedom fighters. Anyhow, all in all, the professor's lectures - the Rise of Rome, etc. are quite good. I look forward to future lectures on the subject of Roman culture.

Date published: 2023-01-14

Rated 5 out of 5 by Prof Bard from Ancient Rome in Contemporary Context Professor Aldrete has provided a rich and insightful discussion of the depiction of Ancient Rome on film. It is important to manage expectations from the outset in that this is not a "film class" focused on the history and/or production of the films nor is it course in film criticism popular or theoretical. It is course on the historical accuracies and inaccuracies of selected films. As such, you will not encounter film clips here, but you will encounter detailed descriptions of scenes relevant to the depiction of Ancient Rome. In some cases, the video version provides a graphic such as that of the Circus Maximus for the chariot race in Ben-Hur. The absence of movie clips does not distract from the purpose of the course. Professor Aldrete treats the films as a whole and an effective strategy might be to watch the films immediately before or after listening to the lecture depending on one’s familiarity with the film. I need to revisit Life of Brian in the new context discovered in the course. On a related note, some reviewers have noted that this particular sword-and sandal genre was launched prior to Quo Vadis or have noted earlier productions related the Shakespearean films. While there may be a film criticism argument here, I think that these films are outside the scope of this course. Professor Aldrete selected films that pointed to specific accuracies, inaccuracies, and contexts related to the depiction of Ancient Rome and is clear about why he made these choices. Instructors are always faced with the challenge of what to include in a course but do well to explain those choices in the classroom. To that end, Professor Aldrete includes a “List of Notable Films Set in the Ancient Roman World” begins on p. 112 of the course guidebook and includes films not covered in the course along with a very brief comment. I appreciated inclusion of two Italian films (Lecture 11) and a discussion of Juvenal’s “bread and circuses” in contemporary science fiction film and television (Lecture 12). These lessons provide a solid conclusion to the course while providing an important lesson in historical context. The films in these two lectures and all the films in the course for that matter are important reminders that these films are as much about the culture and society that produced them as they are about Ancient Rome. Once final note, there have been some negative references to Professor Aldrete’s hand gestures during his lectures. Frankly, I found these most enjoyable as they tracked the gestures actually used by Roam orators (Lecture 9). What a great lecture strategy but not unexpected given that he authored Gestures and Acclamations in Ancient Rome which is an insightful argument about the power of gesture. Having said that, this is a course that you can listen to as the lack of a video will not lessen your understanding of the course argument and information. Well done.

Date published: 2022-12-29

Rated 4 out of 5 by Bob S from Very enjoyable. Since I had seen most of these movies, and my daughter and I see most archaeological documentaries on ancient Rome, it really was enlightening. I wish the course were longer, because there are other movies out there that would be good to look at. One of the other reviewers mentioned "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", for example. You do not need anything but the audio version. I never would have thought of "Life of Brian", but the review was very amusing.

Date published: 2022-08-11

Rated 5 out of 5 by MikeM73 from Wonderful Course Dr. Aldrete is spectacular! He makes the course a true pleasure to watch, and it is never boring.

Date published: 2022-05-13

Rated 5 out of 5 by Werner from I wished for more I wish Professor Aldrete had included a few scenes from the movies being reviewed. His review is more of a back story of the movies being discussed. Sometimes a photo was added for context. It is a short series with only 12 lectures so there is plenty of room to expand with movie scenes. Professor Aldrete is a very animated speaker that makes for an engaging presentation. I enjoyed this as well as previous lectures.

Date published: 2022-04-25

A Historian Goes to the Movies: Ancient Rome

Trailer

01: Quo Vadis Kick-Starts the Sword-and-Sandal Genre

Few films did as much to shape the modern movie-going public’s notions of ancient Rome as Quo Vadis. Discover how this film, released in 1951 by MGM Studios, ushered in the golden age of the so-called “sword-and-sandal” picture, with its irresistible formula of evil, arrogant Romans versus virtuous, devout Christians.

32 min

02: Ben-Hur: The Greatest Chariot Race

Ben-Hur, from 1959, was an enormous financial risk that nevertheless became a cash machine for MGM Studios. In this lecture, unpack the intricate tensions between the Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur and the Roman aristocrat Messala, then analyze the historical accuracies (and inaccuracies) of the film’s iconic naval battle and chariot race sequences.

32 min

03: Spartacus: Kubrick’s Controversial Epic

Discover what makes Spartacus—despite being one of the best-known cinema epics of ancient Rome—something of an oddity. It’s a gladiator film with only one scene of combat. Its production was rife with conflict. Its narrative misrepresents the real-life Spartacus’s goals. And it played an important role in Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist movement.

34 min

04: Cleopatra: Spectacle Gone Wild

How did the 1963 film, Cleopatra, bring about the destruction of the golden age of epic films set in ancient Rome—and destroy the old Hollywood studio system? How does this film treat the historical accounts of figures like Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian? Why do its grand costumes and sets still deserve admiration?

33 min

05: The Fall of the Roman Empire and Ancient Epics

With its $19 million price tag and its $4.75 million in returns, The Fall of the Roman Empire was an unmitigated financial disaster. From its connections to 1960s global politics to its elaborate reconstruction of the Roman Forum to its bleak ending, explore why some critics and scholars regard this as a sophisticated take on ancient Rome.

33 min

06: I, Claudius: The BBC Makes an Anti-Epic

Consider the 1976 BBC production of I, Claudius, which has been credited as one of the most influential and memorable portraits of the ancient world ever to appear on the screen—big or small. Set between 24 B.C. and A.D. 54, the miniseries created an intimate look at the reigns of emperors Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius.

32 min

07: Life of Brian: The Roman World’s a Funny Place

What would a parody of sword-and-sandal films, with all their genre conventions and clichés, look like? Discover how Monthy Python’s Life of Brian, a witty parody of both biblical and Roman epic films, took on gladiatorial games, ancient Roman society and religion, and the human tendency toward factionalism and tribalism.

33 min

08: Gladiator: The Historical Epic Revived

Why did big-budget epics of the ancient world fall out of fashion? How did the 2000 film, Gladiator, single-handedly resuscitate a genre that had been dormant for nearly 40 years? What has recent scholarship revealed about the film’s portrayals of gladiator battles and the lives of ancient Roman emperors—their truths, falsehoods, and embellishments?

34 min

09: Rome: HBO’s Gritty Take on Ancient History

To get a sense of what living in ancient Rome was really like for the average person, the best place to look is the HBO miniseries, Rome. Learn how, despite its flaws, this short-lived series offers accurate (if gritty) views of different religious beliefs, the role of slavery in ancient Roman society, and more.

33 min

10: Centurion and The Eagle: The Legions in Britain

Explore two films that take on the legendary story of an ancient Roman legion lost in the mists of Britain. Both Centurion and The Eagle, while not as well-known as some of the other films featured in this course, nevertheless, offer solid insights into Roman military tactics and raise central issues about Roman imperialism.

31 min

11: Scipione l’africano and Fellini Satyricon

While both were Italian productions, Scipione l’africano and Fellini Satyricon couldn’t be more dissimilar in style. Examine how these two films—one a pompous work of propaganda from 1937, the other a subversive piece of overindulgence from 1969—are best seen as products of the eras in which they were made.

33 min

12: Bread and Circuses in Sci-Fi Films

The Hunger Games, The Matrix, The Running Man, Rollerball, Ready Player One—each of these wildly different sci-fi films derive their premise from a line of poetry by the ancient Roman satirist Juvenal. How has a simple motif about “bread and circuses” powered some of the most memorable sci-fi plots in cinema?

33 min

Overview Course No. 8635

How have films like Ben-Hur, Spartacus, Gladiator, or even a satire like Monty Python’s Life of Brian created our popular perceptions of ancient Roman history? In what ways have they led us astray? And why, despite the occasional box-office flop, do movies set in ancient Rome still have the power to captivate us, and to turn each of us into theater-going history buffs?

In these 12 lectures, an award-winning historian gives you a front-row look at the great movies that have shaped ancient Rome’s role in popular culture and memory. Packed with insights into both history and filmmaking, this series immerses you in the glory and grandeur (and, sometimes, the folly) of classic and contemporary films featuring over 50 years of cinematic talent, including directors like Stanley Kubrick and Ridley Scott and actors such as Elizabeth Taylor and Russell Crowe.

You’ll investigate portrayals of ancient Roman life on the big screen and small screen; learn how to tease out fact from fiction in some of Hollywood’s most stunning spectacles; and deepen your appreciation for films that, when made right, can be thrilling time machines into the past. Some films you may already be a fan of; other films you might have only heard of in passing. But all of them are essential to a well-rounded understanding of the intricate relationship between the world of ancient Rome and the world of the movies.

About

Gregory S. Aldrete

As an ancient historian, my goals are to share the enthusiasm for and fascination with antiquity that I feel, and to show some of the connections between that world and our own.

ALMA MATER

University of Michigan

INSTITUTION

University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

Gregory S. Aldrete is Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. He earned his PhD in Ancient History from the University of Michigan. He has been honored with numerous awards for his research and teaching and has received five fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is also a prolific scholar whose books include Gestures and Acclamations in Ancient Rome, Daily Life in the Roman City, and The Long Shadow of Antiquity: What Have the Greeks and Romans Done for Us?