7 Best Movies and Shows About the Roman Empire

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The best movies and shows about the Roman Empire depend on what you want to watch: Gladiator for arena spectacle, Rome for political upheaval, Plebs for everyday comedy, or Life of Brian for satire. These seven picks range from late-Republican Rome to Roman-ruled Judea, and include historical fiction, Shakespeare, sitcom, and parody—not a ranked or exhaustive canon.

Seven Roman movies and shows to try

1. Gladiator (2000): imperial spectacle

General Maximus falls from favor after Marcus Aurelius’s death, is enslaved, and is forced to fight in the arena. The revenge plot, battles, and gladiatorial spectacle make this a natural starting point if you want a large-scale epic. Its story is historical fiction, not a documentary account of Roman events. Tom’s Guide includes it among its Roman screen recommendations; an Apple TV listing for the educational series A Historian Goes to the Movies: Ancient Rome also places it in a broader discussion of Rome on screen.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Sweden ]	$32.00	Buy on Amazon
2		The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Spain ]	$29.09	Buy on Amazon
3		Gladiator II		Buy on Amazon
4		300		Buy on Amazon
5		Strange Darling		Buy on Amazon

2. Spartacus (1960): revolt against Rome

Stanley Kubrick’s film, based on Howard Fast’s 1951 novel, follows a Thracian slave who becomes a gladiator and leads a rebellion against Rome, commonly associated with the Third Servile War. That shifts the focus from emperors and courts to enslavement, revolt, and conflict during the Republic. It is not a transparent record of the historical Spartacus: the Apple TV course description specifically says the movie misrepresents his goals. The course listing identifies the film as an adaptation of Fast’s novel.

3. Rome (2005–2007): political change through two soldiers

This two-season HBO drama follows Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo through the collapse of the Republic, Julius Caesar’s assassination, and Octavian’s rise. Its combination of elite political maneuvering and the soldiers’ lives gives the upheaval more than one vantage point. The series takes creative liberties, so treat it as drama set amid real historical transitions rather than a precise account. Tom’s Guide describes the series and its historical setting.

#1 Best Overall

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Sweden ]

• The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
• The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

$32.00

Buy on Amazon

4. Julius Caesar (1953): Shakespeare on screen

Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s film adapts Shakespeare’s tragedy, centering on Caesar’s assassination and what follows. Brutus, Cassius, and Mark Antony are prominent. Choose it for the language and formal performances of a stage-derived tragedy, rather than modern action or a broad survey of Roman history. Tom’s Guide identifies the film and its Shakespearean basis.

5. Ben-Hur (1959): Judea and the chariot race

Set in AD 26, the story follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince betrayed and enslaved by his Roman friend Messala. The famous chariot race is the obvious draw, while the plot offers a personal drama under Roman rule. Its historical details are dramatized; the educational course on ancient Rome discusses inaccuracies in the film. Apple TV lists the course and its treatment of ancient-Rome films.

Rank #2

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Spain ]

• The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
• The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

$29.09

Buy on Amazon

6. Plebs: ordinary-life comedy

This British sitcom follows three commoners as they navigate jobs, housing, relationships, and social status in ancient Rome. It is the lightest option here: the joke is everyday life, not a battle for the empire or a ruler’s political strategy. Tom’s Guide describes its commoner-centered premise.

7. Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979): satire in Roman-ruled Judea

This comedy parodies Biblical and Roman epic conventions as well as factionalism and political and religious life in Roman-occupied Judea. It belongs on a list of Roman-set screen stories for its satirical setting and targets, not as a straight historical drama. Prime Video’s Romanian storefront describes the related educational course’s episode framing.

Rank #3

Gladiator II

Buy on Amazon

Which one should you watch first?

• For action and spectacle: Start with Gladiator; for a signature chariot race, choose Ben-Hur.
• For political drama: Choose Rome for a serial story spanning the Republic’s fall, or Julius Caesar for the assassination and aftermath through Shakespeare.
• For revolt and enslavement: Try Spartacus, keeping in mind its portrayal of the historical leader’s aims is disputed by the educational course.
• For a lighter view of daily life: Pick Plebs.
• For comedy that deliberately bends the subject: Watch Life of Brian as satire, not historical drama.

Where can you stream these titles?

Availability depends on country and date. JustWatch’s India guide says it checked 89 streaming services for Gladiator on 4 October 2026 and for Rome on 28 September 2026; those are India-specific snapshots, not a guide to availability elsewhere. Check a local streaming search or service catalog for current options in your region. JustWatch India’s Gladiator page and JustWatch India’s Rome page are useful starting points for that market.

Want historical context alongside the films?

Apple TV lists A Historian Goes to the Movies: Ancient Rome, a 2020 educational series with 12 episodes hosted by Gregory S. Aldrete. It examines how films treat Roman history and covers several of the titles above. Its listing establishes the course and episode count; availability of the series itself can vary by territory. See the Apple TV listing.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Sweden ]

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964); The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

$32.00

Bestseller No. 2

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Spain ]

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964); The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

$29.09

Bestseller No. 3

Gladiator II

Bestseller No. 4

300

Bestseller No. 5

Strange Darling

Best Value

Strange Darling

Buy on Amazon

Rank #4

300

Buy on Amazon

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.