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Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire (4-Disc Set) [DVD] [2008]
![Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire (4-Disc Set) [DVD] [2008]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IbaPrc9DL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £25.99
Our Price: £16.49 (subject to change)
Don't waste your money
Review date: 2010-03-28 Rating: 2 out of 10
I fully agree with Tim Gutteridge's review, so I don't waste anybody's time by repeating what he already wrote. (In fact this series is too bloodthirsty to be History for Kids). Only one more point: ideas forwarded by the authors are actually out of date: Rome did non stop at the Rhine frontier because of fear of the Germans (as hinted by the authors); even if Rome was (rightly) scared of them, it stopped at the Rhine simply because there was nothing worth conquering in Germany. Apart from contingent political reasons, the efforts were not worth the lives of soldiers and merchants (see "The Fall of the Roman Empire: A new History" by Peter Heather). The fatal blow to the western roman empire did not directly come from Germany, but at the south border in North-Africa at the hands of the Alans-Vandals coalition that after crossing from Spain into Africa took away the grain basket of Rome and actually starved Rome to death. Obsessed by the dangers at the Rhine, Danube and middle-east frontiers, in a sense Rome simply forgot its fourth and south border. Last ditch attempts to defend north-Africa were marred by blunders and floundered.
I think that one star evaluation is justified by the following reason: if English is not your mother tongue, these DVDs may turn up useful for training your ear to a heavily american accented english, and this is good especially if you are planning a trip to the central states of USA. It's a shame that History Channel did not employ professional speakers to voice the opinions of more or less expert academics.
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Reviews
Not the definitive history of Rome
Review date: 2010-03-14 Rating: 8 out of 10
A good series however it runs into the same problem that all similar series have the story of Rome is too big to tell and it subsequently misses out major events in the rise of the Roman empire, the fall of the republic and eventually the empire. The first disc covers from the first barbarian war to Germanicus' defeat in Germania but excludes such crucial topics in the fall of the republic and rise of the empire as the Gracchi reforms, Sulla, Caesars conquest of Egypt and Octavian's struggle for power after the assassination of Caesar. Absolutely buy this series but don't take it as the definitive history as Rome, it is better used as a basis for further study into ancient Rome.
History for kids
Review date: 2010-03-09 Rating: 4 out of 10
The obvious challenge when making a TV programme about history is how to deal with the lack of video footage. The History Channel solution on this DVD set is to have lots of reenactments with voiceover, interspersed with a few talking heads. I don't have a problem with that in itself. In fact, it's a great way of making history accessible to kids. But I do object to the simple narrative approach which presents any given topic (e.g., the Slave Revolt) as just a series of events which can be uncontroversially pieced together from the contemporary evidence. The talking heads don't engage each other in a debate but simply fill in the spaces in the narrative.
The result is to strip history of the controversies which make it so fascinating, and to obscure the difficult task of historians in reconstructing what happened and then analysing it. Any difficult issues are either glossed over or treated as unproblematic. For example, of slaves in the Roman world, we are glibly told that the Romans "knew that they were human but regarded them as if they were just tools". A generalisation which doesn't shed much light on a society in which slaves filled a vast number of roles (agricultural labourers, domestic servants, tutors, advisors), in which freed slaves could rise to positions of wealth and power, and where the routes into slavery were extremely varied.
I would say this is fine for an inquisitive 8 year old, or for a slightly older child who isn't particularly interested in history and needs some eye candy to keep them going. But don't buy it if you are an adult with any kind of genuine interest in history.
Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire
Review date: 2009-12-20 Rating: 8 out of 10
I found that this series produced by the History channel is excellent.
I would heartily recommend this series to anyone who is interested in history, especially Roman history.
The fall of Rome
Review date: 2009-11-11 Rating: 10 out of 10
if, like me, you have ever wondered: How could the Roman Empire fall? When its the most famous and advanced empire of ancient history? Then watch this!
The documentaries in this boxset take each event: from the birth of roman empire to its fall, looking at each major event and detailing how it propelled Rome into greatness and at the same time marked the Empries end.
From Ceasars march and conquest of Rome, to Claudis's invasion of Britainna, each documentary is educational and most of all gripping.
With the perfect mix between Historians talking about the events, and the events been dramatised...it made for a very enjoyable watch.
Highly recommended.
Product Details/Specifications
Recording label: History Channel
Manufacturer: History Channel
EAN: 5055298050034
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2009-09-28
Audience rating: Exempt
Region code: 2
Running time: 240 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2008
Language: English (Unknown)