Summary
Peacock’sThose About to Die,based on Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 book of the same name, depends on a certain amount of creative liberties taken with real history but still features several historical characters from ancient Rome.Those About to Die’snarrative revolves around the real Flavian dynasty,implying how the actions of the Roman nobles affected the common people through largely fictional characters. While not much is known about specific individuals who would have been Tenax’s (Iwan Rheon) or Cala’s (Sara Martins) real-life counterparts, the emperor and his sons are documented historical figures.
Some of thetrue story of the Flavian dynasty is inThose About to Die, especially concerning succession politics. It at least gives the impression of history; the complex politics at work while the gladiators struggled to survive the battles in the Colosseum. However,Those About to Diestill makes changes to historythat hurt the show if one is only considering accuracy.Those About to Die’s fictionalized versions of real historical characters serve as a touchstone,reminding the audience that there is some truth in the story being told.
Every Major Death In Those About To Die Explained
The high body count of Those About To Die reveals a lot about the Roman society it is based on, with some gory character deaths pulled from history.
6Emperor Vespasian
Played By Anthony Hopkins
At the center of the story is Emperor Vespasian, the emperor of Rome from 69 to 79 AD.Vespasian inherited the Roman Empire after a period of instability caused by Emperor Nero’s chaotic reignand the succession of four emperors within a year. However, Rome recuperated under his rule.Those About to Diegets right several aspects ofVespasian’s real life, including the circumstances of his death. The show faithfully depicts his demand to die standing up, and his final words being"Vae, puto deus fio"(“Dear me, I think I’m becoming a god”).
Vespasian was common-born but rose through the ranks of the Roman military and the government until he was able to make a bid for the position of emperor. The most notable aspects of Vespasian’s 10-year reign include ordering imperial expansion into Britain and initiating the construction of the Colosseum itself, then known as the Flavian Amphitheatre.Those About to Dieleans into the significance of the latter when the Colosseum is the most iconic image associated with the Roman Empire;the series begins just as Vespasian is opening the Colosseum to Rome.
The other significant aspect of Vespasian’s rule is what he left behind, which becomes the crux of the series' conflict. Vespasian’s two sons both vied to become emperor when a biological successor was actually somewhat unusual in ancient Rome.Those About to Diedepicts the contrasting personalities of the two brothers,which ties into broader themes about what it means to be in power in Rome. However, they both had the advantage of inheriting the Roman Empire in better shape than their father, who relied upon his own wits and experience to clean up the turmoil left by previous emperors.
5Domitian Flavianus
Played By Jojo Macari
Vespasian’s younger son Domitian was also his less conservative son, who did not have the same traditional military and political career as his older brother. Historical records are not clear on his training and education; it seems as though any accomplishments he had before becoming emperor were largely the result of nepotism, though his father and brother’s careers, as well as those of some other family members. However,Domitian was by all means a knowledgeable, if less traditional, politicianwho created a cult of personality for himself that enabled him to hold a lot of power.
Those About to Diegives a broad sense of the real Domitian’s tactics through his interactions with the characters who are mostly fictional. Namely, Domitian understands the power to be had through gladiatorial combat and starts working with Tenax, a crime lord of the Roman underworld who manipulates the gladiatorial games for financial gain. In this way,Those About to Dietouches upon one of the key themes ofGladiator,which is also said to have been inspired by Mannix’s book:“Rome is the mob,“and those who can control the mob through entertainment control the empire.
This is whereThose About the Diereaps the benefit of being historical fiction, as it can take the most dramatic route possible.
Domitian ended up reigning longer than his father and brother,through luck or his own philosophy of ruling being more effective. The biggest question of his reign surrounds the circumstances of his ascension, and what he had to do with his brother’s death. This is whereThose About to Diereaps the benefit of being historical fiction, as it can take the most dramatic route possible. It predictably brings to life a widespread conspiracy theory by depicting Domitian and Tenax as ruthless schemers who planned Titus' death.
Ancient Romans Would Have Hated 1 Thing About Those About To Die
Ancient Romans would have hated the show’s use of color grading and the lack of texture in Those About To Die for reasons verified by history.
4Titus Flavianus
Played By Tom Hughes
As he is in the show,Vespasian’s eldest son Titus was a renowned general who gained power in Rome through his military fame.InThose About to Die, he is against the gladiatorial games, thinking them wanton and distasteful. This aspect of his character is what puts him in major opposition to his brother (aside from them both wanting to be emperor). Titus and Domitian are different ideologically because, while Domitian looks to underground networks and showmanship to get what he wants, Titus has all the on-paper qualifications necessary to inherit the throne.
That being said, succession in ancient Rome wasn’t always as clean-cut as the current emperor’s first son being the next in line. Titus was actually the first Roman emperor to succeed his biological father, initially winning out over his brother. Titus ruled for two years before his demise, apparently from a fever.Historians can only speculate if Domitian orchestrated his brother’s death;it is a possibility but unlikely to ever be proven.
3Scorpus
Played By Dimitri Leonidas
Also as depicted inThose About to Die, Flavius Scorpus, known as Scorpus, was a famous Roman charioteer who won more than 2,000 races. Scorpus' exact cause of death is unknown, but as he died relatively young and spent his life in dangerous chariot races, it is a reasonable assumption that he was killed in a competition by accident or design.Those About to Dieembellishes the circumstances of Scorpus' death, as he is killed in an act of vengeance by Elia (Gonçalo Almeida),one of the three fictional Corsa brothers, during a race.
Scorpus is a uniquely historical character in this show, whose real life may have inspired other works of fiction.
While Elia, Andria (Eneko Sagardoy), and Fonsa (Pepe Barroso) are amongThose About to Die’s gladiators and charioteerswho are fictional, Scorpus is a well-documented competitor. Scorpus was a slave born in Hispania who eventually bought his freedom with money accumulated from his victories.Movies likeGladiatorandTV shows likeThose About to Dieare fascinated by the idea of Roman gladiators but often depict fictional individuals in this role.Scorpus is a uniquely historical character in this show, whose real life may have inspired other works of fiction.
2Berenice
Played By Lara Wolf
Those About to Diealso includes the historical figure of Berenice, Titus’ mistress who is recognized as the“Jewish Queen”by the Romans.The real Berenice was the daughter of King Herod Agrippa I,who ruled the Roman province of Judaea. The Herodians sided with the Flavians in the Jewish-Roman wars, which is when Berenice met Titus, who was 11 years younger than her. Afterward, she supported Vespasian in his bid to become emperor and later traveled to Rome to be with Titus. However, she was unpopular among the Roman people and left when Titus ascended the throne.
Berenice may have returned to Judaea, where her brother then ruled, but she mostly disappears from the historical records once she is no longer connected to Titus. This allowsThose About to Diethe creative leeway to also give her a more theatrical end, along the same lines as Titus and Scorpus. InThose About to Die’s ending, Berenice is caught and killed on her way to deliver evidence of Domitian and Tenax’s plans against Titus. Before this,Berenice works with Cala and Antonia to obtain this evidence.
Those About To Die’s Vestal Virgins Explained
Those About To Die explores countless facets of Ancient Rome, including the very real vestal virgins, who were Rome’s most sacred priestesses.
1Antonia
Played By Gabriella Pession
Strictly speaking,there is no historical person who directly correlates to Anotnia or her husband Consul Marsus (Rupert Penry-Jones).They are both representations of the historical nobles who might have schemed within the structure of the Roman Empire to increase their own wealth and power. InThose About to Die, Marsus plots to displace Vespasian as emperor, which was possible for some Roman nobles. However, he meets an early end when Domitian punishes him with death in the arena, possibly intended as a reference to real history when Domitian staged a water battle in the Colosseum.
Meanwhile,Antonia becomes a long-term player inThose About to Die;and a lot of historical research went into her character. Pession had this to say (viaNBC):
“To really kind of understand how Patrician women were living at that time, I read different biographies about different women in ancient Rome. […] One was Livia Drusilla, which was Octavian’s [Augustus] wife, who was a tough woman. And also Messalina [the third wife of the Emperor Claudius], who was known to be very young, very promiscuous, very beautiful, very manipulative, very corrupted. Or Agrippina Minore [Claudius' fourth wife and the mother of Nero], Poppaea [Sabina, one of Nero’s wives]. There are many, many, many Roman women that I read about that had elements that I put into Antonia.”
Livia Drusilla was her husband’s advisor and confidant and continued to hold political sway as the queen mother when her son was emperor. Messalina predates the historical characters in the show and allegedly conspired to replace her husband with her lover as emperor, who would then make her son his successor. Agrippina Minore is said to have manipulated Roman politics so that her son would become emperor — and he did, as Emperor Nero.
All these women contribute to Antonia’s complex character, who navigates the dangerous scene of Roman politics. She and her husband hoped to displace the emperor, but this plan failed. Antonia eventually decides to leave the danger of Rome, proving how tricky the game she plays is.The historical figures who inspired Antonia’s character saw varying levels of success in their schemes,while some met gruesome ends because of them — a reality which is depicted through Antonia and all the other characters inThose About to Die.
Those About To Die
Set in the year 79 AD in Rome, “Those About to Die” dives into the brutal and complex world of gladiatorial combat. The series explores the dark underbelly of Roman entertainment, where the promise of free food and blood-soaked spectacles keep the restless population in check. The narrative focuses on various characters from all corners of the Roman Empire, whose lives intersect in the grand arena.
