I'm quite taken with BBC/HBO collaboration, Rome (IMDb / HBO), which I'm currently watching on Belgian channel Canvas. It's basically the story of Julius Caesar vs Pompey and the rise of Caesar Augustus, the first emperor of Rome.
There's a rather positive review on Slant.
And if you're looking for more -lots more!- background info, check out the wikipedia entry for the show. This article mentions that the BBC edited the first few episodes. I wonder which version I'm presented with on the aforementioned Canvas.
Rome
2005-08-28, Canceled, 2 seasons
Every city has its secrets.
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
- Kevin McKidd
- Ray Stevenson
- CiarĂ¡n Hinds
- James Purefoy
- Polly Walker
- Tobias Menzies
- Lindsay Duncan
- Action & Adventure
- Drama