That’s a very good question, because I’m a historian of Rome, and generally that series achieves satisfactory technical accuracy.

The answer: I don’t like any of the characters in it. Not one of them is heroic or admirable, or even really all that interesting. So I saw found enjoyment or point in watching the series. Maybe it got better after I gave up on it. But one shouldn’t have to wait that long. Artistic fail.

In a sense that also offended me as a historian, since it perpetuates the stereotype that ancient times were all backstabbing and politicking and dickheadedness and arrogance and plotting, when in reality most people were reasonably nice (though mired in a system of bigotries and false beliefs) and there were a lot of impressively likable (even if flawed) people.

If you want an idea of how to do ancient Rome right, see Agora. (Which I can’t believe I didn’t already have in my recommended videos list; remedied. Also: warning, danger of balling your eyes out at the end.)

NB, it’s as a historian of technology especially that I loved Frontier House, as well as its honesty in production and its educational rather than commercial goals, two rarities for reality shows. Indeed, the tech everyone was reduced to in that show is not unlike the tech available during the High Roman Empire, even the consequences of the railroad they depict reflect the impressive commercial expansion of transported goods by ship and cart; only a few things are disanalogous, like guns and eventually barbed wire, but even those arguably had analogs.