The 25 best films set in Ancient Rome ranked

Films about Rome They often bring to mind emperors, gladiators, Julius Caesar and aristocrats. Many people also think of William Shakespeare, as the Bard himself often wrote about the subject in his plays. Outside of Shakespeare and adaptations of his work, Ancient Rome played a big role in major studio films since the beginnings of silent cinema. Some of the most renowned films in cinema history were set in Ancient Rome, including some of the world's first blockbusters with headline-grabbing budgets, such as Ben Hur record production cost of US$15 million in 1959.

Films set in the Roman Empire fall into the “sword and sandal” subgenre of films, although films set in this particular corner of the ancient world are known for their tendency to have huge sets and budgets to match. The budget increase brought with it great risks, but the best films set in ancient Rome often ended up bringing studios awards recognition it gave them a chance. With multi-award winning films such as Gladiator and Ben-Hur for the smaller but critically loved releases like Titus and Life of BrianThere is a wide variety of films about Ancient Rome across various decades, budgets and genres.

25

The Silver Goblet (1954)

A Greek artist is hired to make Christ's cup

They say Paul Newman hated his work on this film, but that doesn't stop it from having a lasting legacy. The silver chalice It marked Newman's film debut. Victor Saville served as director and producer of the film, wanting to make an epic befitting the novel of the same name on which it is based.

The story features a Greek craftsman asked to cast Christ's cup in silver with his disciples depicted surrounding it. His journey takes him to Jerusalem and Rome, while someone else is busy trying to convince everyone that he is the new messiah.

The film received mixed reviews when it was initially released because it didn't look like other Hollywood biblical epics of the time, but that's part of what makes it such an interesting take on the classic subgenre. The sets featured abstract decorations that set it apart from 1950s Hollywood. This setting is part of the reason Martin Scorcese himself likes the film. He called it “guilty pleasure” in New York magazine in 1978. He also revealed that it was the film that led him to hire art designer Boris Leven to work on his New York, New York.

24

Now (2009)

Now takes action towards Roman-occupied Egypt

Although most films set in Ancient Rome are about wars or conflicts between Christianity and other religions, there are some, such as The silver chalicewhich set a love story in that setting. Now It's not that, but instead, a biographical film centered on Hypatia, one of the first female mathematicians, philosophers and astronomers. She lived in Egypt in the 4th century, but it was an Egypt controlled by the Roman Empire.

Weisz is fantastic in the role and her performance is worth some of the smaller aspects of the script.

Here, Hypatia is played by Rachel Weisz as she researches the two conflicting views of astronomy - the popular view at the time was that the universe orbited the Earth, but a conflicting view had emerged that the Earth orbited the Sun. Hypatia's research became unfolds between conflicts between Christians and pagans. Even seeking refuge in libraries does not exempt her from conflict. Hypatia is seen as a witch by the Christians who come to power, and eventually her life ends in tragedy.

While there are many aspects of the story that are likely not historically accurate, so little is known about Hypatia's life and much of her academic research has been destroyed, that the film does not need to be accurate.. Weisz is fantastic in the role and her performance is worth some of the smaller aspects of the script.

23

King Arthur (2004)

Roman history is full of Arthurian legends

The 2004 version of King Arthur It's not the best version of the story. It is, however, one of the most creative interpretations of the legend of the ruler of Camelot. It's also linked to the Roman Empire, which makes it an interesting addition to Ancient Rome movies. Although it is not set in Rome, it is set in England, at a time when Roman soldiers occupied it.

Arthur himself is the son of a Roman soldier and a Gaelic woman in this interpretation of the story. He becomes disillusioned with the conflict between the native English and the Romans occupying the land, and eventually turns to fighting for his friends and neighbors when he realizes that the very Romans he was sent to protect enslaved people.

Along the way, of course, the love triangle between Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere develops and Arthur becomes king. The fusion of the legend with the idea of ​​Roman soldiers beginning to withdraw from Britain makes it unique, but not the best story of Ancient Rome.

22

History of the World Part 1 (1981)

This film covers more than just ancient Rome

When it comes to films about ancient history in general, History of the World Part 1 comes to mind. It features stories from the Stone Age to the French Revolution, but a good part of the room revolves around a character from Ancient Rome.

This character is Comicus, a comedian and philosopher played by Mel Brooks. When Comicus insults Emperor Nero during a performance for Julius Caesar, Nero is in the audience. He spends much of the rest of his story avoiding capture by soldiers of the Roman Empire.

At the time of its release, the film didn't receive much love from critics other than Mel Brooks' performance, but today it has become something of a cult classic among comedy fans. Hulu has even ordered a sequel that picks up in other time periods.

21

The Fires of Pompeii (2008)

Doctor Who Episode 190

“The Fires of Pompeii” isn't technically a movie, but it has a similar feel to some of the classic films set in Ancient Rome. It's an episode of Doctor Who who sees David Tennant's version of the Doctor and his companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) travel to Ancient Rome, specifically Pompeii, just before the massive volcanic eruption that would destroy it.

Doctor Who is known for putting its own spin on historical events and many of its best-known episodes have a cinematic quality. Here, Donna struggles with her future knowledge of what will happen to the people she meets. She begs the Doctor to save people, but that's not what he can normally do in these situations. Tate's emotional performance as she tries to get people to avoid areas where she knows they will be killed is part of the episode.

This episode is also known by the future Doctor Who stars Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillan appearing as characters different from those they would play in the future.

20

The Cloak (1953)

The Story of the Soldiers Who Crucified Christ, by Richard Burton

Films set in Ancient Rome have been a cinema staple for decades, with many of the best hitting theaters in the early to mid-20th century. Launched in 1953, The cloak is based on the biblical tale of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Richard Burton stars as a Roman military tribune named Marcellus, who commands the unit tasked with crucifying Christ. This was a film that meant to be the first released in CinemaScope (through Academia.edu).

When Marcelo accepts Jesus as the Son of God, he has to decide whether to denounce him or take a stand. The film was a successful box office release and scored two Oscar wins out of five nominations.. Although it was nominated for Best Film, it only won for Art Direction and Costume Design.

19

Ben-Hur (2016)

Director Timur Bekmambetov's opinion on one of the first epic films

In 2016, director Timur Bekmambetov (Desired) reinvented the epic 1959 film Ancient Rome Ben-Hur. Bekmambetov tried to move his film at a much faster pace than the 1959 original, and the remake definitely feels more like a modern action film than an epic historical tale in points. John Huston stars as Ben-Hur, a man betrayed by a childhood friend during Christ's crucifixion as he seeks revenge and redemption.

The film is shorter than the 1959 version, and while that's a good thing, it also lacks the true redemptive weight of Ben Hur compared to the original.

The film is shorter than the 1959 version, and while that's a good thing, also lacks the true weight of Ben Hur's redemption compared to the original. Huston joins 2016 cast Ben Hur by names like Morgan Freeman as Sheik Ilderim, Rodrigo Santoro as Jesus (who has a bigger role in this version of the story) and Toby Kebbell as Messala.

18

Pompeii (2014)

An ancient natural disaster gets a modern shine

The destruction of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in AD 79 is one of the first natural disasters to be cataloged by historianswith around 20 thousand people or more losing their lives. Launched in 2014, Pompeii is a disaster film set in the Roman city of Pompeii during the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

There was little doubt about what would happen in the plot of Pompeii, since the volcano destroyed the entire city, but director Paul WS Anderson filled the film with big stars and created a gripping revenge story to complement the inevitable volcanic destruction. Milo (Kit Harrington) is a man whose parents were murdered when he was a child by Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland), a former general turned senator. The film won six awards at the Canadian Screen Awards and Pompeii It is quite historically accurate to Roman history.

17

Caligula (1979)

Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren and Peter O'Toole lead one of the most controversial films in history

Caligula is an interesting film from Ancient Rome, as it is a historical epic, but also an erotic drama with big stars. Malcolm McDowell (who also co-wrote the screenplay) stars as Roman Emperor Caligula in the cinematic retelling of the infamous ancient tyrant's downfall, while Helen Mirren stars as his wife and Peter O'Toole appears as Tiberius. Directed by Tinto Brass, the film became famous for containing - among other things - scenes of supposedly real and completely unsimulated sexual acts.

The film's sex and violence sparked protests and ended up being banned in several countries.

Caligula was controversial in part because one of the main producers was Coverage magazine founder Bob Guccione, while novelist Gore Vidal wrote the script alongside McDowell. The film's sex and violence sparked protests and ended up being banned in several countries. It has since become a cult classic, although it is not a film set in Ancient Rome for the faint of heart.

16

Resurrected (2016)

An all-star cast brings the search for the body of Christ to life

One of the main reasons there are so many films about the Roman Empire is its prominence in the New Testament of the Bible, and Resurrected is another Ancient Roman film based on the story of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion. The 2016 film follows Joseph Fiennes as Clavius, a Roman tribune who oversees the crucifixion of Jesus. The cast of Resurrected is especially notable, with Fiennes joined by the likes of Tom Felton from Harry Potter fame.

When Jesus rises from the dead, Pontius Pilate orders Clavius ​​to find out who “stole” the body to prevent a possible revolt. He goes out and interviews people with his advisor Lucas (Tom Felton) and soon discovers that the situation is bigger than he ever imagined. The film was a minor box office success and received positive reviews, and is a unique story among the many adaptations of historical events in the swords and sandals subgenre.

15

Barabbas (1961)

An epic scene from 1961 in Rome itself

The religious epic Barabbas tells the story of Barabbas (Anthony Quinn), a biblical figure from the New Testament. It was directed by Richard Fleischer, a key figure from Hollywood's Golden Age known for classics such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Doctor Dolittle, and dystopian science fiction of the 1970s Soylent Green. Unlike many films about Rome, this one was filmed in Rome as well as Verona, Italy.

The National Board of Review named it one of the Best Foreign Films of the Year when it was released in 1961.

The 1961 film has some huge, impressive setsincluding a gladiatorial battle and a crucifixion shot during a real solar eclipse. Barabbas it grossed US$2.9 million at the box office and received positive reviews from contemporary and modern critics. The National Board of Review named it one of the Best Foreign Films of the Year when it was released in 1961.

14

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

A musical comedy about one of the first comedians

Most films depicting the Roman Empire are serious dramas of epic scope, with a significant portion based on biblical events, natural disasters, or bloody ancient conflicts - in other words, they handle often dark stories with a healthy amount of gravitas. That's why A funny thing happened on the way to the forum is a little different from other films about Ancient Rome.

For starters, it's a musical comedy. Based on the theatrical musical of the same name, based on the works of the Roman comic playwright Plautus, it tells the story of an enslaved man named Pseudolus, played by Zero Mostel, who tries to win his freedom by helping his master win the heart of the girl next door . With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, A funny thing happened on the way to the forum won an Oscar for Best Music.

13

Tito (1999)

Anthony Hopkins Leads a Hidden Dramatic Gem

William Shakespeare wrote several plays with stories based on Ancient Rome, and these formed the basis for several of the best films about Ancient Rome. Directed by Julie Taymor, Titus is a film adaptation of Shakespeare's play Titus Andronicus and stars Anthony Hopkins as the title character. Although it distorts and sometimes crushes the limits of historical accuracy (at least to the extent that it exists in Shakespeare's work), Titus is largely set in real Ancient Rome.

Hopkins is joined on screen by Jessica Lange and Alan Cummings, playing Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and Saturninus, Emperor of Rome, respectively.

Hopkins is joined on screen by Jessica Lange and Alan Cummings, playing Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and Saturninus, Emperor of Rome, respectively. The film grossed just US$3 million at the box office on a budget of US$25 million (Image: Disclosure)through Mojo Box Office) and received mixed reviews from critics, but It has since achieved cult status, easily becoming one of the best films set in Ancient Rome.

12

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Willem Defoe and David Bowie Lead Martin Scorsese's Controversial Take on Crucifixion

Of all the biblical films set during the time of Ancient Rome, The Last Temptation of Christ is easily one of the best known. This is partly due to its director, as famed filmmaker Martin Scorsese took a break from his mafia films to create his own biblical epic in 1988. Set in the Roman Empire, The Last Temptation of Christ told the story of the eventual crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the hands of the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate.

Contrary to a later story of Jesus' execution, The Passion of ChristChurches did not take kindly to Scorses' opinion and protested the film thanks to a scene in which Jesus was tempted by Satan. With Willem Defoe as Jesus and David Bowie as Pilate, the film was still a critical success, with Scorsese being nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.

11

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

The 1964 Historical Drama That Helped Shape Gladiator

Spectacle, drama, political intrigue and the desire for power are the central elements of the 1963 film. The Fall of the Roman Empire. It was directed by Anthony Mann, the acclaimed stage actor who made the transition to film during the 1930s and 40s, with this film about Ancient Rome being one of the last in his celebrated career. Interestingly, Mann was also initially the director of Spartacus in 1960.

Essentially a historical epic in its purest form, The Fall of the Roman Empire covers the power and extent of Rome's greatest age and how it fell from within.

Essentially a historical epic in its purest form, The Fall of the Roman Empire covers the power and extent of Rome's greatest age and how it fell from within. This 1964 epic has a lot in common with Gladiator, such as the presence of Marcus Aurelius, although it is much more substantiated than Ridley Scott's interpretation of events. The film received an Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe for Best Music.

10

Satiricon (1969)

An experimental love story set during the reign of Nero

One of the most abstract and psychedelic films about the Roman Empire, satirical is an episodic, fantastical story of life in Ancient Rome that is based more on legends of hedonism and pleasure than on actual fact. The colors, costumes, and general atmosphere are exaggerated to match the equally fantastical period that covered the chaotic reign of Emperor Nero - an ancient ruler famous for his despotic and selfish style of leadership, which included making his horse a senator.

As experimental with its structure as with its aesthetics, satirical It doesn't tell a conventionally linear story, but divides the narrative into nine different episodes that follow the main character as he tries to win back his young lover. Federico Fellini received his third Oscar nomination for directing this highly stylized cinematic interpretation of Ancient Rome.

9

The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Mel Gibson's unflinching recreation of Jesus' last days

While The Last Temptation of Christ received more critical praise, Mel Gibson's 2004 film about the death of Jesus Christ arrived nearly two decades later to a string of awards and box office success. In 2004, Mel Gibson directed The Passion of Christwhich detailed the torture and crucifixion of Jesus at the hands of the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate.

Mel Gibson's vision was unwavering and did not shy away from any of the suffering that Christ suffered in his final days.

Unlike Scorsese's film, The Passion of Christ he trusted less in Jesus' journey to the cross and was more focused on the pain and bloody torture he suffered at the hands of the Roman Empire. Mel Gibson's vision was unwavering and did not shy away from any of the suffering that Christ suffered in his final days.. The result was that churches supported it to the level of a box office gross of US$612 million, the highest-grossing R-rated film domestically (via Mojo Box Office).

8

The Life of Brian (1979)

Monty Python's hilarious take on life in the biblical era

Monty Python is one of the most celebrated comedy troupes of all time, with their bizarre style of almost nonsensical comedy influencing everything that came after to some extent, whether from your home country, the United Kingdom or the United States. One of Monty Python's most sophisticated feature films Life of Brian is one of the most accurate depictions of life in a Roman province ever shown on the silver screen.

When it comes to films about Rome, it's not set in the capital itself, but in the Roman province of Judea, and includes a light-hearted but realistic look at life under Roman rule. It's not always funny, as sometimes the satire takes a biting turn when it comes to the tyranny of the Romans and local authorities in Judea. The film remains one of the highest-rated British comedies ever made on several best-of lists.

7

Cabíria (1914)

The historic beginning displayed for President Woodrow Wilson

Films about Ancient Rome have existed almost since the dawn of cinema, as evidenced by Cabíriathe film directed by Federico Fellini is more than a century old. Cabíria is set during the Second Punic War and depicts many of the conflict's most famous moments, including Hannibal's march across the Alps, the Siege of Syracuse and the military campaign of the Roman general Scipio in North Africato name a few. Martin Scorsese credits this film with inventing the epic genre (through Roger Ebert).

If Scorcese is correct, this makes Cabíria the spiritual ancestor of films like Ben-Hur and Gladiator.

If Scorcese is correct, this makes Cabíria the spiritual ancestor of films like Ben-Hur and Gladiator. It was restored and re-released at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, and during its original release in 1914, it was the first film to be shown at the White Houseappearing on the lawn for President Woodrow Wilson.

6

Quo Vadis (1951)

The film that saved MGM studios

Often credited with saving MGM from bankruptcy, Quo Vadis is an epic historical drama that combines historical and fictional elements to tell the story of the Roman Empire's confrontation with Christianity and the treatment of the first Christians. Quo Vadis was directed by Mervyn LeRoy, one of the first directors to work with Warner Bros before moving to MGM. It's a unique take on the biblical epic subgenre of Ancient Roman films, and it's especially notable for not simply focusing on a single story from the New Testament.

It stars Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Leo Genn and Peter Ustinov, with narration by Walter Pidgeon (Funny girl, forbidden planet). It was a box office and critical success, grossing $21 million on a budget of $7 million. (through Mojo Box Office) and mixed with positive reviews. The film received eight Oscar nominationsalthough he didn't win any of them.