Top 10 Movies Set in Ancient Rome Ranked According to IMDb

Top 10 Movies Set in Ancient Rome, Ranked According to IMDb

From Christ films to Swords and Sandals epics, which are the best films under IMDb’s ‘Ancient Rome’ and ‘Roman Empire’ tags?

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Ancient Rome has a lot to recommend it to fans of historical dramas. It may not have the fancy gowns of later periods, but the stories of this time period include plenty of bloody battles and power plays – much like the wildly popular series Vikings, or the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. When it comes to Roman-set media, there have been some incredible series in recent decades, including Rome and Spartacus, and of course, there have been blockbuster films set in the days of the Roman Empire since the Golden Years of Hollywood. Cleopatra may be one of the most famous epic movies centered on this time period, but surprisingly, it’s not one of the best – according to IMDb.

Instead, Cleopatra only manages to come in at 12th place based on IMDb ratings, (based on ‘Ancient Rome’ and ‘Roman Empire’ keyword searches) even though the majority of the best are classics, dating back as far as the 1920s. 300 also fails to make the list, despite a 7.6 rating, because it’s not technically set in Rome, although many Christ films do make the list, although they are not set in Rome itself, but (presumably) because the Roman Empire features so heavily in them.

10 Quo Vadis (1951) 7.2

This MGM epic is a true spectacle of Hollywood, the basic plot of this classic is that of a Roman General who falls in love with a woman who has become the follower of a new religion – Christianity. Expect all the sweeping romance, intrigue, and set pieces of the time period, and while some of the elements may seem overblown to modern viewers, this was a huge hit with audiences of the ’50s. Quo Vadis was a box office smash, and its success continued into awards, where it was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

9 The Passion of the Christ (2004) 7.2

It’s something of a surprise to see this highly controversial film so highly rated by IMDb, as it was highly divisive at the time of release. This Mel Gibson directed film focuses on the hours leading up to the death of Jesus Christ, and has been criticized widely for being overly violent and graphic, and the film was accused of antisemitism, as well. (This is not the only time that Gibson has come under fire for anti-Semitism, either.)

Despite this, it may rank so highly in IMDb in part because the film is still a visually arresting tale of Jesus Christ, and because it is so violent, it can definitely inspire strong emotions in the viewer.

8 The King of Kings (1927) 7.3

The King of Kings is part of a trilogy of silent films from director Cecil B. DeMille, depicting the life of Jesus Christ – and as a whole, the trilogy is truly epic, as each film has a run time of over two hours, with this installment at 2hrs and 40 mins. Given that the films were created in the ’20s, when most films were under an hour long, little wonder that these films garnered the attention that they did.

Length aside, this trilogy was one that thrilled critics and audiences, and that even saw schools let out early to allow students to go and watch the film. Of course, nearly a hundred years after its release, modern audiences will likely not have quite the same reactions, but The King Of Kings is worth watching for any silent film buff.

7 Julius Caesar (1953) 7.3

This Oscar winner is an adaptation of the Shakespeare play of the same name, and stars Marlon Brando. The film is another true classic of Hollywood, and one that critics loved. Julius Caesar was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, although it won neither. It did take home one golden statuette, though, for Art Decoration.

This film is still a classic, and considered one of the best adaptations of the play – however, it is a very direct interpretation, in contrast to more modern takes that often re-write the language to make it more approachable. Also in black and white, this true classic will appeal to classic film fans, rather than those who prefer updated remakes of the Bard’s work.

6 The Twelve Tasks of Asterix (1976) 7.6

This Asterix film is the only animated feature film to make the list, as the Roman Empire (and the violence that comes with the era) is generally not considered standard fare for children’s films. Of course, Asterix works for a variety of age ranges, and while The Twelve Tasks of Asterix was not a resounding success on release, it has since become a cult classic. Like all films in the franchise, it features Asterix and Obelisk, set in the Roman Empire, taking on twelve labors (a la Hercules) for Ceaser.

5 The Dacians (1966) 7.8

Also titled Dacii, The Dacians focuses on Domitian’s Dacian War, making it stand out from most of the other heavy hitters in Ancient Roman set films on IMDb. The plot covers various battles and intrigues (including an adopted son, torn between the country of his birth and the one he was raised in) between the Dacians and the Romans.

This film also stands out because it is Romanian, and significantly less well-known than most others. However, this film shows up one of the issues with rankings on a site like IMDb. Because this is an aggregate site, there may be films that rank highly despite being significantly smaller, simply because the reviews are limited to fans of the film, or of the specific sub-genre (in this case, ‘Swords and Sandals’).

4 Spartacus (1960) 7.9

Spartacus is definitely one of the best-known films set in Ancient Rome, so it’s no surprise to see it ranked so high on the list. The story of the revolt of enslaved people, led by the titular Spartacus, is one for the ages, and the film is truly inspiring.

It is also helped by a truly star-studded cast, including Laurence Olivier, Kirk Douglas, and Tony Curtis, with Stanley Kubrick directing. The film won four Oscars and a slew of other awards, and has been quoted and parodied in pop culture ever since.

3 Ben-Hur (1959) 8.1

Similar to Spartacus, Ben Hur is a classic epic, and one that covers love, betrayal, power, and the Roman love of slavery. Ben Hur is also known as a film that broke an incredible number of records, including records for awards (winning an incredible eleven Oscars) and for the sheer size of the production. The famous ‘chariot race’ which took weeks to film, and involved the creation of a massive arena. The money, time, and artistry devoted to creating this scene, and other (smaller) scenes like the sea battle, is incredible, especially given the time in which it was made. Ben Hur is also a film that has given rise to urban legends (including the alleged death of a stuntman during the race), possibly because of its sheer scale and awe-inspiring behind-the-scenes stories.

2 Life Of Brian (1979) 8.1

While most movies set in Ancient Rome are epic movies heavy on the drama and violent battle scenes, Monty Python manages to toss all that out the window and have some fun with the time period in Life of Brian. This religious satire is vehemently not a look at the life of Jesus Christ, but of a man who is mistaken for the Messiah – and the usual Monty Python hilarity ensues. Unsurprisingly, the film cause some outrage when released because of the subject matter, but remains hugely popular – and the only film set in Ancient Rome to include the song ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’.

1 Gladiator (2000) 8.5

Topping the IMDb list is the wildly successful Gladiator, the Ridley Scott epic starring Russel Crowe. Crowe stars as Maximus, a former Roman General whose family is murdered and who is enslaved, on a mission of vengeance against the cruel Emperor of Rome. The film won an incredible five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and grossed over $465 million worldwide. The film is everything that a Roman epic should be – including epic battle and arena scenes, love, betrayal, and of course, a rousing speech at the end.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/top-best-movies-set-ancient-rome-ranked-imdb/

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