Spoilers are ahead for Those About to Die’s season 1 finale.
Summary
Based on Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 book of the same name,Those About to Dieis far from the most historically accurate portrayal of ancient Rome. Like its source material, Peacock’s epic swords-and-sandals series prioritizes sensationalized realism over straight-forward historical accuracy, which isn’t necessarily a shock for a big-budget Hollywood production. Set during the fledgling decade of theFlavian empire,Those About to Die’s 10-episode first season cost a staggering $140 million to make, and is muchmore akin to aGame of Thronesreplacement than a painstaking account of Rome’s bread and circus days.
Much like the bread and circus itself,Those About to Dieis meant to entertain, above all else. However, viewers' mileage with the entertainment factor may vary based on how many instances of historical missteps, sensationalism, and invention they can stomach. For starters,Those About to Diewas filmedin Rome, but the production reportedly never left the confines of the city’s iconic Cinecittà Studios, resulting in many elaborate sets and an over-reliance on CGI. Like the look of the show,Those About to Diegestures at reality, but, ultimately, prioritizes entertaining drama over all else.
Scorpus' Age & Biography Faces Big Changes
Those About To Die Takes Liberties With Historical Figures' Life Stories
When it comes to historical figures,Those About to Dietakes some major creative liberties with the details. Several key members ofThose About to Die’s cast of charactersare based on real-life people, including Emperor Vespasian (Anthony Hopkins) and his sons, Titus Flavianus (Tom Hughes) and Domitian Flavianus (Jojo Macari). Another pulled-from-the-history-books character isScorpus (Dimitri Leonidas), a hugely popular charioteer who claimed over 2,000 victories. The series takes big liberties with Scorpus' age and life story. Although it’s not known how he died, the 27-year-old charioteermayhave been trampled.
How Many Chariot Races Scorpus Has Won In Those About To Die
In Those About to Die, there is no bigger star than the charioteer Scorpus, who wins an astounding number of races just as he did in real life.
The Eruption Of Mount Vesuvius Isn’t Handled Accurately
Rome Wouldn’t Have Immediately Known About Pompeii’s Tragedy
In 79 AD, nearly a decade afterThose About to Die’s Year Of Four Emperorsreign,the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in upwards of 15 feet of volcanic ashand pumice. Preserved for centuries, present-day Pompeii offers a frozen-in-time look at Roman life at the time. Perhaps due to the notoriety of Pompeii, Those About to Die takes significant liberties with the eruption, suggesting the Romans knew about it immediately. In reality, Rome didn’t know for days — until the ash reached the city — and any tremors the city felt were minor.
Vespasian Did Bring Stability To Rome After The Year Of Four Emperors
Vespasian became an emperor of note for uniting Rome after the Year of Four Emperors— a chaotic period that ensued after Nero’s volatile reign and apparent death by suicide. Although it’s set at the end of his story,Those About to Diedoes a decent job of depictingEmperor Vespasian’s real life, persona, and actions. A common-born emperor, Vespasian made a name for himself on the battlefield, which eventually helped his rise to power. In fact, even Vespasian’s on-screen death is accurate, proving thatThose About to Diecan get the broad strokes right at times.
Anthony Hopkins' Those About To Die Character Is Repeating 1 Of His Biggest Roles
Anthony Hopkins' role as a Roman emperor in Peacock’s historical drama series Those About to Die is similar to another iconic character he played.
There Were Four Racing Factions In Rome
Domitian Did Add Two More Charioteer Teams
In the show’s first season, Tenax (Iwan Theon) is an underground crime boss who usesThose About to Die’s charioteers and gladiatorsfor his own gain. A ruthless opportunist, Tenax has big plans where chariot racing is concerned. The Roman mobster teams up with renowned charioteer Scorpus to create a fifth racing faction that they’ll own and operate. While that definitely makes for a compelling premise,there were only four racing factions in Rome at that time— the Reds, the Greens, the Blues, and the Whites (viaBCCampus). Later, two short-lived factions were added by then-Emperor Domitian.
Tenax Is A Complete Work Of Fiction
Some Of Those About To Die’s Biggest Plot-Pushing Figures Are Invented For The Series
While Roman crime boss Tenax has a ton of sway during the first outing ofThose About to Die, he wasn’t a real-life ancient Roman. As Emperor Vespasian’s sons, Titus and Domitian, vie for power, the latter taps Tenax for some assistance. Although he isn’t as skilled a warrior as his brother, the conniving Domitian schemes to kill Titus and claim the throne. InThose About to Die’s ending,Tenax even tries rigging a race to pay off then-Emperor Titus' praetorians. Since characters like Tenax are pure fiction, these sorts of threads definitely undermine the show’s accuracy.
Were Those About To Die & Gladiator 2’s Arena Naval Battles In Ancient Rome Real?
Peacock’s new historical drama Those About to Die and the upcoming Gladiator 2 both feature naval battles held in the gladiatorial arena.
Historians Still Debate Titus' Cause Of Death
Domitian Is Intent On Killing His Brother In Those About To Die
UnderstandingThose About to Die’s Flavian family treeis fundamental to all the political intrigue in the show’s first outing. Unlike in other historical epics (or epic fantasies), Rome’s succession process wasn’t so clear-cut at the time. That said, Titus, Vespasian’s firstborn son, wasn’t an automatic shoo-in for the throne. The famous general does become Vespasian’s successor, however, partly because of his might on the battlefield. Feeling slighted, Domitian plots his brother’s death. Historians still debate how Titus died, though sources claim natural causes. Still, as in the series,Domitianmayhave had a hand in Titus' demise.
Kwame Probably Couldn’t Pass His Hard-Won Freedom On To Someone Else
The Gladiator Receives A Rudis For His Bravery & Skill
Those About to Die’s Kwame (Moe Hashim), a Numidian fighter-turned-gladiator, is initially enslaved by Rome but forced to partake in arena battles due to his prowess as a warrior. After a season filled with near-misses and bloodshed, Kwame survives the most harrowing of challenges and wins his freedom. As was customary,Kwame is given a wooden sword (rudis)and allowed to choose whether to continue on as a gladiator. Instead, he passes the rudis on to his sister. It’s a nice gesture forThose About to Die’s finale, but probably not how things really worked.
Those About To Die
Set in the year 79 AD in Rome, “Those About to Die” dives into the brutal and complex world of gladiatorial combat. The series explores the dark underbelly of Roman entertainment, where the promise of free food and blood-soaked spectacles keep the restless population in check. The narrative focuses on various characters from all corners of the Roman Empire, whose lives intersect in the grand arena.
