HBO's Rome

My wife and I have been trekking through HBO's Rome miniseries. Though we're only two-thirds through the first season, and have a whole second season to enjoy, I thought I'd offer up a few thoughts about what I've seen so far.

First, as an amateur historian (I'm not sure majoring in history in college qualifies you as an "historian," per se), I'm reasonably happy with the basic historical accuracy of the settings, clothing and manners. I can't understand why producers can't accurately portray Roman military shields or Ptolemaic military equipment, but that's a minor quibble. The characters are well-drawn, the acting solid and the writing usually lively. The show is pretty raunchy, with lots of off-color language, but - it's HBO, so you know what to expect going in.

Rome, Season One follows the adventures of Lucius Vorenus, a centurion, and Titus Pullo, a common legionarius, both of whom belong to Julius Caesar's XIII Legion. I won't try to retrace the plot, but these two get into various mishaps against the backdrop of Caesar's impending clash with Pompey Magnus - Pompey the Great. Caesar and Pompey (along with Marcus Crassus, who is regrettably missing from the show) are locked in a battle for supremacy in the Roman Republic. Pompey is the champion (and, I would argue, lap dog) of the Senate and Optimates party, while Caesar is the champion (cynically so, one might say) of the Populares, or commoners.

We just finished episode 9 - "Caesarion." Caesar has defeated Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus. The Senate (Cato and Scipio, specifically) have abandoned Pompey, and fled to Africa to raise fresh armies to oppose Caesar. Pompey flees to Egypt, mistakenly believing the boy King Ptolemy XIII will help him, and is assassinated on the beach. Caesar lands in Egypt in pursuit of Pompey, only to be presented with the head of his rival. Incensed, Caesar holds a funeral for Pompey, rescues Cleopatra from the clutches of Ptomely XIII and his minders, and has a dalliance with the Egyptian queen. A child is born, who Caesar claims as his own. A few observations:

1. If we think modern culture is sex-obsessed and decadent, we should take a look backward. The miniseries fairly accurately shows sex to be a common part of Hellenized Roman life. It's everywhere - at home, in the streets, in the byways, in religion, scratched on the walls - everywhere. Our modern American culture, even with its easy access to online porn, DVDs, books, magazines, prostitutes, casual affairs and "hook-ups" - all with a compliant or (I would suggest) cheerleading mass media behind it - has nothing to compare. Those of us worried about the laissez-faire attitude of modern Americans to sexual purity and convention can thank God we aren't laboring in that society. It's bad today, but it could be worse - a lot worse.

2. If we think modern America's slow, mindless descent into pluralism and syncretism is grating, we should take a look at the way HBO chose to portray Roman culture. There isn't a god these people won't worship. One sees exactly why a building like the Pantheon (though constructed centuries after the events portrayed in the miniseries) was built. Your god is valid, my god is valid, his god is valid, etc., so - let's worship them all! There's a maddening variety and number of gods to please - Triton for sea travel, Mars for war, Jupiter for glory, household gods, fertility gods, agrarian gods - you name it. Amazing stuff.

What a shock Christianity must have been to the early converts. The early Christians had to make a major leap to narrow their allegiance and fidelity to the one true God. Far from sharing Paul's exasperation with the Corinthians, I now find it astonishing that the Gentile churches were as faithful as they were! And I now understand far better what Paul was facing when he spoke in Athens. What a culture! I've read about it for years, but to see it on the screen, over the course of several hours, has been really eye-opening for me.

Another word about the way religion is portrayed: These pagans aren't worshiping gods who love them. They worship out of fear. Vorenus tells Pullo that they'll be safe on board their ship - despite a horrendous storm at sea - because "good sacrifices" were made to Triton. These aren't gods who sacrifice for their creation - the creation sacrifices to them. It's a quid pro quo arrangement: mortals sacrifice to the gods, the gods forbear the mortals. The portrayal of religion in Rome has really caused me to reflect on my faith in Christ. God loves me. God sent His Son to die for me. I didn't sacrifice to Him - He sacrificed Himself for me. The gods in Rome are contractual gods - I serve a covenanting God. Amazing grace, indeed!

3. Poor Pompey Magnus. I've always been a great admirer of Caesar - he was a boyhood hero to me (we'll reflect on what that says about me and my upbringing later). Nonetheless, Pompey, for all his arrogance and desperation to please the Patrician circles, moves the viewer to pity when we see him disintegrate in the days following Pharsalus. What used to be the second-richest man in the Senate - a man who had conquered hundreds of nations, brought Mithridates and the Mediterranean pirates to heel and celebrated three triumphs through the streets of Rome - simply disintegrates after his loss to Caesar, the abandonment of Cato and Scipio, etc. He has nothing. Under the glittering armor, riches and great glory he had amassed, Pompey is revealed to be an empty suit. He dies a broken, defeated man, muttering to himself about past glories, bereft of friends and faith. I feel for him.

Many a time in my spiritual life, I've been a Pompey. I'm fine and dandy when things are going well, but as soon as I've hit a bump, I've fallen off the wagon. I've been unfaithful to God, unwilling to struggle and fight, unable to accept a setback or defeat. I haven't been willing to press on to the next battle. I've been a Pompey.

I'm facing my own Pharsalus in my life. I'm threatened with a layoff from my job, I haven't had much luck searching for another job, all this waiting on the local pastor process to begin is depressing me, etc. I really feel like I'm about to wage a Pharsalus of my own. If I win this, I'll glory like Caesar, and move on to greater things. But what if I lose?

What if things don't work out like I hope, or want? Will I resort to brokenness and despair, like Pompey? Will I accept negative events, and still believe that God loves me, and will provide for me? Will He find me faithful, even in the storm? I pray so.

More observations from the show will follow, but I thought I'd share a few things that came to mind as I watched the series. Enjoy church this weekend!