The first episode “The Stolen Eagle” starts with a brief history of Rome and the creation of the Republic. It outlines the dichotomy between Gnaeus Pompey Magnus and Gaius Julius Caesar as one was maintaining stability in Rome and the other was fighting in Gaul. In the beginning of the show, there is a line about justice and the proper punishment against crimes like stealing that I thought was very interesting because we discussed this in class before. There is also this scene relating to public shame when Vercingetorix, king of all the Gauls is stripped naked in front of Caesar and is forced to kiss the eagle tribe. While Caesar is thriving in his conquests, he recieves a letter from Pompey telling him that his daughter, which is also Pompey’s wife has died from childbirth and the baby girl was stilborn. Throughout the show you also see the nobility’s fear of the common people as well as their potential to revolt. Atia buys a horse for Caesar to honor him and asks Octavian to take it to him in Gaul, with much reluctance from Octavian’s part. For the past few weeks, we have been roleplaying senate hearings in class with heckling, booing, chanting etc. At first I thought that we were in no way acting like they did back then, but after watching all the scenes with Senate hearings, it became clear that we actually were not mistaken. Some of the senators did not agree with Julius Caesar going to war with Gaul and even calling the war “illegal”. They said that these wars were only to “buy himself a crown” as a tyrant. They even called out that Caesar be tried for theft, bribery, and treason. Pompey protects Caesar from these accusations while Caesar is away. They also have a lot of entertainment and quite a debauche theater. Some aristocrats are trying to convince Pomey to squash and renounce Caesar. As the episode goes on, Pompey starts showing his jealousy of Caesar as seen when a messenger tells him that the horse has already been sold as a present for Caesar. The episode also shows how powerful omens and symbols are to the Roman people as seen by the eagle. On the way to Gaul, Octavian and his companions get attacked. Antony gives Lucius Verinus money to torture and crucify men as a way to extort information out of them. Caesar also sends affection (not love as she points out) to Servilia, Brutus’ mother. 

Ella’s Reflection: 

This film had a lot more bloody and gruesome scenes than she was expecting. Some of the sound effects were not her favorite, but she was able to look past that because she actually quite enjoyed the series and it made her more aware of the characters of the Roman Republic. She finally understood the people and factions that I have been talking about.

Balorix to the Senate, Greetings. 

I know that you take a great interest in the current well-being of my people, the Allobroges, so here is the state of things.  

In the years 113-101 BCE, the land of Allobroges was demolished during the early years of the Cimbrian War. Consul Gnaeus Papirius Carbo attempted to ambush the Cimbri during their withdrawal. When the Cimbri learned of his treacherous plan, they attacked, destroying Carbo’s Roman Army and leaving the land of my people open to invasion. The Cimbri did not attack Rome, they just attacked the precious land of my people. We paid for the mistakes of Carbo and then alongside you were absolutely destroyed by the Cimbri at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BCE. Later, Gaius Marius’s unprecedented five-year consulship, strong military tactics, and defeat over the Cimbri warriors led to his successful and powerful rule. Eventually, the Roman Republic consisted of internal rivalries, piracy, and conflict in the East. As a result of corrupt and oppressive conditions, my tribe did attempt a revolt against Roman rule. Our biggest regret and mistake to this date was this action. We wish we could go back in time so that we could have come to the esteemed Senate with our requests. This mistaken revolt resulted in tribune payments being imposed upon my people which have undoubtedly further led to our impoverishment. Time has passed since then and as we have remained fiercely loyal to Rome, we hope to strengthen our trust and relations. 

Although I am writing this letter to urge you to support and recognize my people, the Allobroges, I can’t help but offer a word of advice on your current situation. Upon learning about the unrest and the time of instability that you face, many of your auxiliary tribes are quick to consider revolting. My own people were in that position when the Senate passed the SCU in the year 100 BCE granting Gaius Marius total control to try and restore public order. When an SCU is granted, my people know that we will not be given the attention we deserve and that our rights will be forgotten and pushed aside. My people aren’t the only individuals that feel this way. Other tribes are in similar situations and feel as though the willingness to ignore their presence helps them justify a possible revolt. I assure you that the Allobroges are the most loyal Roman tribe and will support you in battle, and I would definitely not count on other tribes supporting you. For if they are currently unhappy with your rule, they are looking for the perfect moment to rise up against you.

Again, my people, admirers and supporters of the Roman Republic, wish to be recognized and relieved from some of our debt and be treated fairly in the future. In return, we offer the full support of the army of the Allobroges to you Romans.

Take care that you all are well. 

Balorix, Ambassador of the Allobroges

After reading the stoicism handbook, I was excited to live the week like a stoic as I really enjoyed and resonated with the core ideas and practices of stoicism. When we had our week of living philosophically, I lived like an epicurean, and in my reflection one of the practices I mentioned I wanted to do more of was meditation. This week really allowed me to do this through the daily early morning and late night meditation and reflections. Being able to wake up in the morning, compose myself, make a plan for my day, and imagine any challenges that may arise made me feel so much more organized throughout each day. I knew what my main goals were for the day and had already thought about how to achieve them, even if something didn’t go as planned. As for the evening meditations, being able to reflect on the events of the day and asking myself what went well, what didn’t, and and what I could do differently prepared me for the following day. Adopting this role of a friendly advisor to myself allowed me to, as Seneca says, criticize my specific actions rather than myself as a person as a whole and focus on ways in which I could improve. I also decided to write down this self analysis in a journal I had lying around, which I had bought and planned to use a while ago, but never did. This really helped me collect all my thoughts and remember the next morning what I want to keep doing, what I want to improve on, or what I want to do differently. The last important practice was the midday exercises, which I found insightful and helped me improve my meditations and also my self analysis journal. The midday exercise I found resonated with me the most was Sunday’s which discussed the idea of what is in our power. Recognizing the things that are outside of my control especially helped with my self analysis. As I was evaluating the things causing negative emotions in my life I asked if it was something I could control or not. If it was something I could control, I would write down what I could do to change those negative emotions, and if it was something I could not control, I made a conscious effort to not dwell on those negative emotions. This really helped me pinpoint the source of negative things in my life and either take action to change those negative things or accept their presence. Overall, I really enjoyed living the week like a stoic. Finally putting my journal to use and changing up my daily routine was refreshing and I felt really centered and organized throughout the whole week. I knew what I wanted to accomplish, how I could accomplish it, regardless of adversity, and at the end of the day I was able to reflect and think about how to improve for the next day. I can definitely say I will be making a conscious effort to implement some of these practices into my daily routine and some of these ideas into my own mindset, as I think they will really help me learn from my daily life and conquer and move past adversity. 

Spartacus is a slave in the mines of Libya, though he is much more power, intelligent, and proud than the slaves around him. His perceived arrogance causes him to be punished regularly. His defiant attitude leads him to attack a Roman guard who tries to stop him from supporting another slave. He is tied down and left to rot, but is saved when he is purchased by Batiatus, who buys slaves to turn into gladiators. The new trainees are treated poorly by their trainer Marcellus and pitted against one another. When Spartacus makes an effort to befriend Draba, another trainee, he is turned down based on the idea that they will be forced to kill each other later. He meets Varinia, a slave, and begins to fall in love with her as his training continues. A group of elite Romans, including Crassus, soon arrive at the camp and demand a group of four slaves fight to the death for their entertainment. The group includes both Spartacus and Draba. When Draba defeats Spartacus in battle, he refuses to strike the finishing blow, leading to Crassus killing Draba instead. When Varinia is sold to Crassus, Spartacus objects, and, when attacked by Marcellus, he kills his trainer. This leads the slaves to riot and steal weapons to escape the camp. They travel around to pillage and recruit more people to support them, causing them to become a target. While traveling, Spartacus finds Valinia, who joins their party. Later, Spartacus meets a group of pirates who he trades his wealth to in exchange for ships, claiming that his men could beat the Roman army because they were not afraid to die. Soon, the group is attacked by Glabrus and his garrison, but they are able to defeat the garrison and capture Glabrus. Eventually, Spartacus and his men are seen as a major threat and Crassus is given an army to put them down. When he finally beats them, Crassus says that men will be spared if they reveal who Spartacus is, but each slave claims that they are Spartacus in order to protect their leader. The real Spartacus is ordered to fight to the death, but wins his bout, leading him to be crucified instead. The film was an entertaining retelling of the heroic story of Spartacus and his slave uprising, but it makes clear edits to history in order to create a more compelling narrative. Spartacus is made to be almost completely perfect as the hero, while Crassus is made to be pure evil as the villian.

The very first scene is quite serene, with Maximus walking through a field touching the blades of wheat before approaching the ranks of men he is about to lead to victory. The fighting scene against the Germanic barbarians is full of fire and bloodshed. At one point, Maximus is knocked off his horse, forced to fight off two barbarians while on his back. He stands to fight off more men and eventually shout “Roma Victor!”, ending a war and earning the approval of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Marcus is soon to die and about to name his successor, the title of which Marcus’ son Commodus is sure he will get. Commodus appoints Maximus as his successor, understanding that he is morally correct and will restore the Roman Republic by shifting the power back to the senate. Maximus tries to decline the title, wanting to return back to his wife and son, but Marcus says that him not wanting the title makes him even more fit for the job. Commodus, after hearing this news, has a long heart to heart with his father and eventually kills him. Commodus declares himself emperor, asks for Maximus’ loyalty, yet Maximus declines because he knows Commodus was involved in killing Marcus. Commodus then orders Maximus to be executed and sends guards to kill his wife and son. He escapes his execution but returns home to find his villa burned, along with the charred corpses of his wife and son. He buries their bodies and collapses in exhaustion atop their graves. He’s found there by slave traders who take him to Africa where he is purchased by a head of a gladiator school, Proximo. Maximus’ reputation as a fighter grows there and he becomes popular with those watching him fight. Meanwhile, Commodus reopens the gladiatorial games, of which Proximo’s fighters are invited to compete in. In a recreation of a historic battle, Maximus leads Proximo’s fighter to victory, after which Commodus comes down to meet the victors and is surprised to find Maximus. Also, Maximus’ old servant tells him that the army still lies loyal to him. Maximus goes on to win many fights, winning the admiration of the public. Commodus decides that legends are born in the colosseum and personally challenges Maximus to a duel. Knowing Maximus would win, Commodus stabs Maximus in the lungs with a knife, and has the wound covered with armor. Despite this, Maximus bests Commodus, Commodus asks his guards for a sword and they refuse, and Maximus kills him. Maximus is also dying, yet before he dies he orders the release of Proximo’s gladiators, and instructs a senator to to return power to the senate. Maximus dies and returns to his wife and son in the afterlife. I really enjoyed this movie! I thought that though it was intense, it made Roman history very engaging and easy to understand. I was fully enthralled by it the entire time. I highly recommend! It was action packed and educational.