The glory that was Rome is clearly portrayed in the riveting "Rome: Power & Glory," a six-hour miniseries debuting Sunday on The Learning Channel.
Modern minds may have trouble comprehending just how powerful and pervasive Rome was in its day. At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from Syria to Scotland and was guarded by a citizens' army -- later made professional -- that is still seen as a model of strength and efficiency.
Rome itself counted 1 million inhabitants at its peak, around 100 A.D.; more than 17 centuries would pass before another urban area (London) contained as many people. Roman government introduced democracy to the world; Roman planners built aqueducts that carried water 70 miles into the city; Roman architects designed a Colosseum that could hold 65,000 people.
Rome had more than its share of warts, of course, vulgarities and excesses that would help bring about its eventual fall. Its blood lust was great, not only in battle, but in sport; thousands of people were killed in front of cheering spectators within the massive walls of the Colosseum. Such power-mad generals as Julius Caesar fancied themselves more important than Rome itself. And its unquenchable thirst for land left the Empire overextended and vulnerable.
Rather than offer a strict chronological history, "Rome: Power & Glory" traces certain themes through Rome's history, beginning with the city's mythical founding in 753 B.C. and ending in roughly the 3rd century A.D., as Rome's fortunes decline and the city is sacked by the Visigoths and Vandals. After dealing with Rome's beginnings in episode one, "The Rise," goes on to explore its armies (episode 2, "Legions of the Conquest"), its government (episode 3, "The Seduction of Power"), its colonization of the western world (episode 4, "The Grasp of Empire"), its decay (episode 5, "The Cult of Order") and its disintegration (episode 6, "The Fall").
With narration by Peter Coyote, "Rome: Power & Glory" is endlessly fascinating. With a cast of characters that includes everyone from the tragic Lucretia, who killed herself rather than be shamed by Rome's enemies, to the legendary fiddler Nero and legendary debaucher Caligula, how could it miss? And it's also the rare historical documentary that uses re-enactors both sparingly and effectively.
"The Rise" opens by noting the West's continuing fascination with Rome and its legacy. Napoleon was so infatuated with the Empire that he had himself painted as a Roman emperor, while the founding fathers of this country used the alias Publius -- the man who helped codify the laws of that great experiment in democracy, the Roman Republic -- in defending their Constitution.
Those examples offer vivid testimony to Rome's continuing influence. So does historian Shelly Haley's observation, that Mike Tyson, he of the "if you can't beat 'em, bite 'em" school of boxing, would have fit in just perfectly in Roman times.
"Rome: Power & Glory" airs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (repeats midnight-2 a.m.) Sunday through Tuesday on TLC.
Bacall et al.
Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton and Lauren Bacall have joined American Movie Classic's roster of on-air talent as part of the cable channel's revamped programming format and new image.
The network hopes to attract younger viewers as well with flashier graphics and a new network logo beginning Monday.
Quaid will be host of "John Waynesdays," a block of the Duke's films, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Bacall helms "Hollywood Fashion Collection," a block of fashion-related films, Mondays at 8 p.m. Thornton is host of "Film Preservation Classics," a showcase of restored and preserved films, Saturdays at noon.
Bob Dorian and Nick Clooney will continue to serve as AMC's prime-time host and daytime hosts, respectively.
Simeone is new host
Baltimore's own Lisa Simeone will take over as host of NPR's daily classical music magazine, "Performance Today," beginning March 22.
Simeone will step in while regular host Martin Goldsmith takes a leave of absence to complete a book about his parents' experiences in Nazi Germany. Both his parents were classical musicians and involved with the Juedischer Kulturbund, a rare cultural outlet for Jews in Nazi Germany.
The book, "The Inextinguishable Symphony," is due out in 2000; Goldsmith is slated to return to NPR in July.
"Performance Today" is not carried in Baltimore but can be heard weeknights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Washington's WETA-FM (90.9).
Sun wire services contributed to this article.
TV's top shows
Here are last week's top TV shows, according to A. C. Nielsen Co. figures:
Rating
1 ER NBC 20.2
2 Frasier NBC 17.7
3 Friends NBC 17.6
4 41st Annual
Grammy Awards CBS 16.6
5 Jesse NBC 15.0
6 Sunday Night
Movie: Alice in Wonderland NBC 14.8
7 Veronica's Closet NBC 14.3
8 Touched by an Angel CBS 14.2
9 60 Minutes CBS 14.1
10 Home Improvement ABC 12.9
11 Monday Night Movie:
And the Beat Goes On ABC 12.5
11 (tie) Tuesday Movie: Too Rich: The Secret
Life of Doris Duke, Part 2 CBS 12.5
13 Ally McBeal Fox 11.7
14 JAG CBS 11.1
15 The Practice ABC 10.9
16 Everybody Loves
Raymond CBS 10.5
17 20/20: Monday ABC 10.3
17 (tie) Providence NBC 10.3
19 unday Movie: Behind
the Mask CBS 10.2
19 (tie) Spin City ABC 10.2
19 (tie) X-Files Fox 10.2
The rating is the percentage of homes equipped with a TV in use.
Pub Date: 3/03/99