Spartacus Season 1: In between all the skin, blood and gratuitous sex, they slipped in a few Kubrick references as well as portrayed Rome as a land of little honor and much backstabbing bastardry...

Yessir, I finally got around to seeing this series.  Ancient Rome is one of my favorite eras in history.  Not only does much out of it form the foundation of much western culture, it is also fascinating in both what it did right as well as what it did tragically wrong.  It is one of the world's first attempts at a more egalitarian society, at least as much as the ancient world could muster.  It is also one of the first experiments at representative government, though that eventually went dreadfully wrong.  However, Rome, as much mistakes as the leaders made, managed to last many centuries and leave a legacy in lore, artifacts, architecture and memory that stays with us to this day.  We still honor it with books, films and TV shows.

Spartacus is one of those tales we gravitate to, as it tells the tale of a slave who found fame in the gladiator arenas and eventually led a rebellion against Roman authority.  Many aspects of that tale we are drawn to, from the gladiator spectacles themselves, to the idea of a slave accruing power in said arenas, to the idea of a mass break for freedom, succeed or fail.  We are drawn to such stories as they stir many cultural chords inside us as Americans.

Now, I'm not sure as the the historical accuracy of the series, and it differs in it's method of telling from, say, the Kubrick film.  However, the makers of the show do the film homage by slipping in a few easter eggs here and there.  For example, the line, "I am Spartacus!" does make itself present.  Watch for it.

You won't see a Kubrick remake, though.  It is it's own animal, showing the sleazy ebb and flow of Roman political power and the dehumanizing effects of the institution of slavery, how human beings can only have value in pure physical function, and one human can own another as property and not be recognized for their humanity.  This can serve as a corruptor of a society and be one of the rotting boards fading away beneath it's footing.

Still,  Spartacus is a thoughtful examination of power and human nature, though dark and brutal.  It allows sentiment, honor and even a bit of spirituality, but does not let you forget this realm you are in, where life is cheap, though if fate smiles, life becomes briefly glorious.

Spartacus' name is indeed one remembered, for it is one of the few from this period that I recall from my unremarkable high school history classes.

But yeah, not for the squeamish, with lots of sex, violence and blood.  But if you like the period and/or your swords and sandals spectacles, Spartacus will do ya fine.