what is the future of TV antiquity?

To conclude the exploration of sixty years of TV antiquity, this final section draws out some of the key aspects that run through the shows discussed in the book, such as the importance of serialisation and later syndication and collaboration in the development of TV antiquity; the new heroic ideal developed in these shows, combining domesticity and politics; and the marginalisation of religious practice in many of the programmes discussed. In addition, the conclusion also briefly examines the most recent shows such as Olympus (2015), Britannia (2017) and Troy: Fall of a City (2018) and suggests some of the possible directions for TV antiquity. Here, the most notable developments are a greater blend of history, myth and fantasy as well as the blurring of boundaries between documentary and fictional drama.

The Caesars (1968)

This case-study examines the 1968 ITV production The Caesars.

Starz Spartacus (2010–13)

This section contains a case study of the HBO–BBC co-production STARZ Spartacus (2010-13).

The Last Days of Pompeii (1984)

This section contains a case study of The Last Days of Pompeii (1984), based on a historical novel of the same title by British writer and poet Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

I, Claudius (1976)

This section contains a case study of BBC production I, Claudius (1976).

Odissea/The Odyssey (1968)

This section contains a case study of TV production Odissea (1968), which draws on a classical text, Homer’s Odyssey, and adapts it quite closely.

Rome (2005–8)

This section contains a case study of the HBO–BBC co-production Rome (2005–7).

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–99)

This section contains a case study of the 1990s television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

The ancient world as serial television drama

When Samsung introduced its new curved television screen in 2014, I was struck not by the technology but by its official television advert. Rather than using science fiction or another ultra-modern environment to showcase this innovative new gadget, the advertisement featured a father and son in their pyjamas in the middle of a gladiatorial arena. All the tropes of screen antiquity were represented in the 30-second clip: the crowds, the arena, the evil emperor and of course the gladiators with their swords and sandals that defined the genre. What this advert encapsulated for me was not only that the audience’s interest in antiquity was alive and well, but also that there was an intrinsic connection between fictional antiquity and the (no longer so) small screen....

The Eagle of the Ninth (1977)

This section contains a case study of six-part television series The Eagle of the Ninth, a BBC adaptation of Rosemary Sutcliff’s popular children’s novel, first published in 1954.