Living and Dying in the Roman Republic: The Series Spartacus and its Cinematic Examination of Freedom, Violence and Identity

This volume deals with the American production “Spartacus” and the British-American-Italian co-production Rome. In the examination of the present, a turn to Greek or Roman antiquity can be observed again and again. To find there the roots of Western society for politics, economics or philosophy, or to derive comparative arguments for expansionist efforts or decline, is not just part of the rhetorical commonplace. So it is not surprising that the TV series format also takes up this period. Whereas in Rome the attempt is made to work through the historical guidelines in great detail, in Spartacus, apart from the rough sketch of the plot, one can speak of a far-reaching neglect of the historical situation. From a (media) ethical perspective, specific approaches to responsibility, the transmission of values, loyalty, education, self-discipline, and religion can be identified in the series, which can be interpreted as self-statements of the present or the producers.