We find out more about that great voiceless mass the poor, women, slaves from the tomb inscriptions.

a distinction between being accurate and being authentic. There’s no such thing as 100-percent historical accuracy.

There’s something particularly resonant about that particular point in Roman history. Maybe particularly here in the United States.

It’s not a documentary. It’s a historical fiction. But we have attempted to make the world, the background, the detail of that world as authentic as possible.

Bruno (Heller) deliberately picked out stuff which is shocking, arresting, surprising,

Rome was a culture alive with fear, … Fear of what the other side will do … fear of what the gods will do if you do not propitiate them.

Rome was a culture alive with fear. Fear of what the other side will do … fear of what the gods will do if you do not propitiate them.

The Romans perfected the acquisition of power. But they fought for survival. … It was never written that they would rule the roost. They had to fight to get there.

[While Hollywood is often full of copycat ideas, the subject of empire is a hot topic for obvious reasons, says HBO’s historical consultant, Jonathan Stamp.] There’s something particularly resonant about that particular point in Roman...

They would be pleased, flattered, thrilled. They were very conscious of making their mark forever.

We’ve made every effort to create a world as close to the one in which our characters moved, … a world that is coherent and convincing.