I, Caesar: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

I, Caesar (aka Hail Caesar), a BBC documentary series broadcast in the U.S. on the A&E network, compiles biographies of a half-dozen Roman emperors, beginning with Julius Caesar and the civil wars of the late Republic, and continuing through Augustus, Nero, Hadrian, and Constantine to the sixth-century Byzantine ruler Justinian, who tried to re-conquer the western half of the realm. Unlike many similar programs, I, Caesar eschews dramatizations in favor of collages (of ruins, statuary, mosaics, wall paintings, maps, and outdoor shots), while a narrator presents what amounts to a lecture on the reign of the particular emperor under consideration. Although this formula might sound a trifle dry, the scripts by Phil Grabsky are very engaging (well-organized and based on solid research), punctuated by readings from contemporary sources and commentary from some of the best current British historians of the ancient world (including Miriam Griffin, Averil Cameron, Peter Heather, David Shotter, and Andrew Wallace-Hadrill). Those looking for CGI battles or reenactments of episodes such as Caesar's assassination are bound to be disappointed, but others will appreciate this intelligent, instructive, expertly-produced series that provides insights into the rulers at the heart of Rome's rise and fall. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)