Anti-History at its greatest
I don't know if I'm making up the term anti-history here, but it's exactly the word that should be used to describe this mess. I was really looking forward to watching this show considering that we live in an age when the Internet has all the historical fact-checking tools limited only by the speed of our fingertips (or words if you're into voice-recognition). I fully expected this show to contain conjecture in the areas of dramatization, and with those guest speakers who are not true historians(i.e. only there to pull the punters). However, as other reviewers have noted, this show is only designed to use the term "history" and characters that we know existed, to further an agenda or plot point. That point is clearly anti-Roman slavery / "Fuck the police" mentality. Now, I'm a person sympathetic to these ideas where they are appropriate, however this is supposed to be a historical documentary! In order to prove that this "documentary" is being used for an agenda, it is not required to go over historical facts, only the logical fallacies that are within the show. To be clear, I've only watched the first 1 and 1/2 episodes before i couldn't take it anymore.1. Spartacus - The show defines Barbarian as one who is "not part of Rome or Greece." Thrace is Greek, Spartacus is a Greek name, so he's clearly not a Barbarian.
2. Hannibal - The show claims that he is the "first freedom fighter." However, it is clearly stated in the show that his motivations are revenge and a promise he made to his father.
etc...
In the above examples you can see that they've sacrificed accuracy for their agenda... that these "Barbarians" are somehow freedom fighters against an oppressive Rome. Yes, Rome had slaves, yes it was probably terrible. Yes, all slavery is terrible. However, all of these people probably had slaves themselves, slavery was common in and out of Rome, as far back as we have true historical records. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be fought against, but that you've ruined what could've been a great documentary by making it anti-history, giving the "Barbarians" motivations that have no factual basis whatsoever.
This series is truly awful and harmful and should be wiped from existence.
score 1/10
jdavis15-128-667916 7 February 2017
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3635261/15077
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