Minor characters of Rome
Encyclopedia
There are several minor but significant characters featured in the HBO/BBC
/RAI
television series Rome
.
NOTE: Characters are listed in alphabetical order by character's first/only name
, Niobe
and Titus Pullo
:
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
/RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
television series Rome
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
.
NOTE: Characters are listed in alphabetical order by character's first/only name
Noble characters
- Antonia (historically, Antonia MajorAntonia MajorAntonia Major , also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor and a relative of the first Roman Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
or Antonia MinorAntonia MinorAntonia Minor , also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia was the younger of two daughters of Roman politician Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two Antonia sisters...
), daughter of Mark AntonyMark Antony (character of Rome)Mark Antony is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by James Purefoy. Like the real Mark Antony he was a Roman general and politician and a close supporter of Julius Caesar.- Season 1 :...
and Octavia of the JuliiOctavia of the JuliiOctavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon. The character is based on the Roman matron Octavia Thurina Minor, sister of Roman Emperor Augustus.-Season One:...
born after Antony left Rome and raised by her mother alone. She could possibly be the daughter of Marcus Agrippa.
- Alfidia (historically, AufidiaAufidiaAufidia or Alfidia was a woman of Ancient Rome. She was a daughter to Roman Magistrate Marcus Aufidius Lurco and an unknown mother. She was a member of the gens Aufidia, a Roman family of Plebs status which appeared in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire, and became a family of consular rank...
), portrayed by Deborah MooreDeborah MooreDeborah Moore is an English actress and the daughter of actor Roger Moore and Italian actress Luisa Mattioli.She made her debut on TV as a child in the The Persuaders! episode "The Long Goodbye" in which her father co-starred alongside Tony Curtis, and early on in her career, she was often billed...
. The mother of Livia, she is present in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
when a married Livia catches the eye of young OctavianGaius Octavian (character of Rome)Gaius Octavian is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Max Pirkis as a child in season one and the beginning of season two, and in the rest of the second season he is played by Simon Woods. He is portrayed as a shrewd, if somewhat cold, young man, with an...
, and both women are pleased when he insists that Livia divorce her current husband to marry him. Later, in De Patre VostroDe Patre Vostro (About Your Father)"De Patre Vostro" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It originally aired on March 25, 2007....
, Alfidia lightly questions OctaviaOctavia of the JuliiOctavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon. The character is based on the Roman matron Octavia Thurina Minor, sister of Roman Emperor Augustus.-Season One:...
's loyalty to her family at dinner, and is present when Atia of the JuliiAtia of the JuliiAtia of the Julii is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Polly Walker. The niece of Julius Caesar and mother of Octavian/Augustus and Octavia, she is depicted as a cheerfully amoral and opportunistic manipulator...
finally puts daughter-in-law Livia in her place.
- Caesarion (historically, Ptolemy XV of Egypt/CaesarionCaesarionPtolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar , better known by the nicknames Caesarion and Ptolemy Caesar , was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, who reigned jointly with his mother Cleopatra VII of Egypt, from September 2, 44 BC...
), seen in the last few minutes of the episode Caesarion as a newborn baby, he is the son of Julius Caesar and CleopatraCleopatra (character of Rome)Cleopatra is a character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Lyndsey Marshal from October 16, 2005 through March 25, 2007. The basis for this character is the famous historical Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII.-Personality:...
. The storyline implies that Caesarion is actually the son of Titus PulloTitus Pullo (character of Rome)Titus Pullo is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Ray Stevenson. He is depicted as a hedonistic, devil-may-care soldier who discovers hidden ideals and integrity within himself...
. The character returns as a young boy (portrayed by Nicolò Brecci) in the episode Son of HadesSon of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
, in which Cleopatra asks Mark AntonyMark Antony (character of Rome)Mark Antony is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by James Purefoy. Like the real Mark Antony he was a Roman general and politician and a close supporter of Julius Caesar.- Season 1 :...
to declare him Caesar's son (though not his heir). Max BaldryMax BaldryMaxim Alexander "Max" Baldry is an English actor and student. He was most successful for playing the role of Stepan in the 2007 comedy film Mr. Bean's Holiday....
assumes the role in Deus Impeditio Esuritori NullusDeus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man)"Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus" is the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 18, 2007...
(though he appears briefly in the background of a scene in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
), in which Caesarion befriends Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
, who is serving Mark Antony in Egypt. Caesarion asks the soldier about his "father"; he of course means Julius Caesar, but Vorenus' answers seem to hint that he believes Pullo to be the boy's father. In the series finale De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)"De Patre Vostro" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It originally aired on March 25, 2007....
, it is made clear that both Pullo and Vorenus believe this to be true, and Cleopatra herself later confirms that Pullo is the father. Vorenus manages to smuggle Caesarion out of the palace as OctavianGaius Octavian (character of Rome)Gaius Octavian is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Max Pirkis as a child in season one and the beginning of season two, and in the rest of the second season he is played by Simon Woods. He is portrayed as a shrewd, if somewhat cold, young man, with an...
takes over, knowing Octavian will murder the boy to cement his position as Caesar's heir. Pullo brings his son to Rome under the name AeneasAeneasAeneas , in Greco-Roman mythology, was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam's second cousin, once removed. The journey of Aeneas from Troy , which led to the founding a hamlet south of...
, and tells Octavian that he has murdered young Caesarion. The series ends with the indication that Pullo is about to tell the boy that he is in fact his father.
- Calpurnia (historically, Calpurnia PisonisCalpurnia PisonisCalpurnia Pisonis , daughter of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, sister of Lucius Calpurnius Piso, "the Pontifex", was a Roman woman and the third and last wife of Julius Caesar. Calpurnia was the great-granddaughter of a lieutenant of Lucius Cassius Longinus, whose name was Lucius Piso...
), played by Haydn GwynneHaydn Gwynne-Personal life:Born in Hurstpierpoint, Sussex to father Guy Thomas Hayden-Gwynne, she played county level tennis before studying Sociology at the University of Nottingham, and is fluent in French and Italian...
. The wife of Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar (character of Rome)Gaius Julius Caesar is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actor Ciarán Hinds...
, she is seen in Stealing from Saturn, The Ram has Touched the Wall, Kalends of February and PassoverPassover (Rome)"Passover" is the first episode of the second season of the television series Rome and is an Emmy Award winner in the category Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series photographed by Alik Sakharov, A.S.C.-Plot summary:...
. In Shakespeare's and Plutarch's version, it is Calpurnia's dreams that almost stop Caesar on the Ides of March, cleverly alluded to by the flock of birds in the shape of a skull in Kalends of February.
- Casca (historically, Servilius CascaServilius CascaPublius Servilius Casca Longus was one of the assassins of Gaius Julius Caesar, who was murdered on 15 March, 44 BC....
), played by Peter Gevisser. a Roman senator and one of the assassins of Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
.
- Gaius Maecenas (historically, Gaius MaecenasGaius MaecenasGaius Cilnius Maecenas was a confidant and political advisor to Octavian as well as an important patron for the new generation of Augustan poets...
), played by Alex WyndhamAlex WyndhamAlex Wyndham is an English actor, best known for his role as Gaius Cilnius Maecenas in the HBO television series Rome .-Biography:...
. Maecenas first appears in Testudo et LepusTestudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)"Testudo et Lepus " is the fourth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot:43 BC. Servilia's spy Duro has been taken into service at Atia's villa by Castor, Atia's lead male house slave, in exchange for sexual favors. Duro slips into Atia's kitchen where he secretly poisons...
; he is a poet and longtime friend of Gaius OctavianGaius Octavian (character of Rome)Gaius Octavian is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Max Pirkis as a child in season one and the beginning of season two, and in the rest of the second season he is played by Simon Woods. He is portrayed as a shrewd, if somewhat cold, young man, with an...
and Marcus Agrippa, and one of Octavian's chief advisers and speechwriters. Maecenas is cheerfully corrupt, at one point conspiring with Posca to steal a portion of Herod's bribe to Mark Antony. He frequently indulges in orgies and narcotics, attends to a cadre of spiesEspionageEspionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, keeps pleasure slaves of both sexes, and shows no hesitance when faced with moral quandaries.
- Glabius (Latin name, fictional), played by Roberto Purvis. The now-deceased ex-husband of Octavia of the JuliiOctavia of the JuliiOctavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon. The character is based on the Roman matron Octavia Thurina Minor, sister of Roman Emperor Augustus.-Season One:...
— divorced by AtiaAtia of the JuliiAtia of the Julii is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Polly Walker. The niece of Julius Caesar and mother of Octavian/Augustus and Octavia, she is depicted as a cheerfully amoral and opportunistic manipulator...
's force of will, still loved by Octavia, and therefore killed by TimonTimon (character of Rome)Timon, is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Lee Boardman. He is a Jew, depicted as a "hired sword" – from bodyguard to assassin – for Atia of the Julii, from whom he is quite willing to take her body in lieu of coin.-Personality:Timon initially appears as little...
on Atia's orders. He is seen in The Stolen Eagle, How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic, An Owl in a Thornbush, and Stealing from Saturn. Historically, Octavia MinorOctavia MinorOctavia the Younger , also known as Octavia Minor or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus , half-sister of Octavia the Elder, and fourth wife of Mark Antony...
was six years older than her brother Gaius OctavianAugustusAugustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, and from c.54 to 40BC (the first season's timeframe was 51 to 41 BC) was the wife of Gaius Claudius Marcellus MinorGaius Claudius Marcellus Minor:See Gaius Claudius Marcellus for other men of this name, or Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior for his cousin, consul of 49 BC.Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor was a Roman senator and consul. He was a member of the distinguished Claudius family...
. Therefore she would have been in his household, not that of the Julii/Octavii, until his death in 40 and her remarriage to Mark AntonyMark AntonyMarcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
. Marcellus has been replaced by the fictional Glabius.
- Jocasta (fictional), played by Camilla RutherfordCamilla RutherfordCamilla Rutherford is an English actress and fashion model.-Background:Rutherford was born to a journalist father and magistrate mother in Holland Park...
. Daughter of a wealthy merchant (and thus played as a 'Sloane RangerSloane RangerThe term Sloane Ranger refers to a stereotype in the UK of young, upper class or upper-middle-class women, or men who share distinctive and common lifestyle traits...
' and treated as 'nouveau richeNouveau richeThe nouveau riche , or new money, comprise those who have acquired considerable wealth within their own generation...
' and socially inferior by Atia), and friend to Octavia; introduced in These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius CiceroThese Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero"These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero" is the third episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:...
. Atia later adds Jocasta's father to the list of nobles Octavian and Mark Antony proscribeProscriptionProscription is a term used for the public identification and official condemnation of enemies of the state. It is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a "decree of condemnation to death or banishment" and is a heavily politically charged word, frequently used to refer to state-approved...
. Her entire family is murdered and it is implied she was sexually assaulted and/or raped before she was able to escape. In Death MaskDeath Mask (Rome)"Death Mask" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It aired on March 4, 2007.-Plot summary:Servilia mourns the death of Brutus, killed at Phillipi. She kneels in front of Atia's door chanting repeatedly for justice. Although Atia ignores her initially, the...
, Atia arranges for Jocasta's marriage to Posca; Jocasta is delighted with the gifts Posca showers on her in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
. In Deus Impeditio Esuritori NullusDeus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man)"Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus" is the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 18, 2007...
Jocasta has joined her husband in his relocation with Mark Antony to Egypt, but both escape back to Rome on Atia and Octavia's ship when Posca realizes that war between Antony and Octavian is inevitable.
- Lepidus (historically, Marcus Aemilius LepidusMarcus Aemilius Lepidus (triumvir)Marcus Aemilius Lepidus , was a Roman patrician who rose to become a member of the Second Triumvirate and Pontifex Maximus. His father, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, had been involved in a rebellion against the Roman Republic.Lepidus was among Julius Caesar's greatest supporters...
), played by Ronan VibertRonan VibertRonan Vibert is a British actor, known for his appearances on British television.-Early life:The son of Dilys and David Vibert, both artists. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1983 to 1986. He has a brother named Cevn....
. General under Mark AntonyMark Antony (character of Rome)Mark Antony is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by James Purefoy. Like the real Mark Antony he was a Roman general and politician and a close supporter of Julius Caesar.- Season 1 :...
, one of the Second TriumvirateSecond TriumvirateThe Second Triumvirate is the name historians give to the official political alliance of Octavius , Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Mark Antony, formed on 26 November 43 BC with the enactment of the Lex Titia, the adoption of which marked the end of the Roman Republic...
. He is given Africa when the Republic is divided amongst the triumvirs, and later falls out of prominence as his territories are annexed first by Mark Antony and later Octavian. The historical Lepidus initially intended to contest Octavian's claim to dominance, but was talked out of it - to his benefit, as he died of old age much, much later, having been unmolested during the transition from republic to empire.
- Livia (historically, Livia DrusillaLiviaLivia Drusilla, , after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14 also known as Julia Augusta, was a Roman empress as the third wife of the Emperor Augustus and his adviser...
), played by Alice HenleyAlice HenleyAlice Sarah Henley is an English television and theatre actress.Alice Henley began acting at a young age, her first professional performance being at 13 playing Phyllis in a stage adaptation of The Railway Children....
. Young wife of Octavian; introduced in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
. Married to another man Claudius Nero (historically Tiberius NeroTiberius NeroNot to be confused with his son Tiberius or his grandson Germanicus, who both had the name 'Tiberius Claudius Nero' at one time or another. Tiberius Claudius Nero was a member of the Claudian Family of ancient Rome. He was a descendant of the original Tiberius Claudius Nero a consul, son of...
), Livia catches the eye of Octavian; she and her mother Alfidia are pleased when he insists that Livia divorce her current husband to marry him. Later Octavian explains that he has rough sexual tastes; in "Deus Impeditio Esuritori NullusDeus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man)"Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus" is the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 18, 2007...
," Livia actively participates in mutually sadomasochistic sex with him. In De Patre VostroDe Patre Vostro (About Your Father)"De Patre Vostro" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It originally aired on March 25, 2007....
, Octavian's mother Atia of the JuliiAtia of the JuliiAtia of the Julii is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Polly Walker. The niece of Julius Caesar and mother of Octavian/Augustus and Octavia, she is depicted as a cheerfully amoral and opportunistic manipulator...
puts social climber Livia in her place.
- Pothinus (historically, PothinusPothinusPothinus , a eunuch, was regent for Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Ancient Egypt. He is most remembered for turning Ptolemy against his sister and co-ruler Cleopatra VII, thus starting a civil war, and for having Pompey decapitated and presenting the severed head to Julius...
), played by Tony GuilfoyleTony GuilfoyleTony Guilfoyle is an Irish actor. He is best known for his recurring role as the accident-prone Father Larry Duff in TV comedy Father Ted.Born in Ireland, Tony was educated in Wicklow, his parents were Bobby and Margaret Guilfoyle....
, seen in the episode Caesarion. A eunuchEunuchA eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
who serves as regent to Ptolemy XIII.
- Ptolemy XIII (historically, Ptolemy XIII Theos PhilopatorPtolemy XIII Theos PhilopatorPtolemy XIII Theos Philopator was one of the last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.- Co-ruler of Egypt, inner turmoil :...
), Cleopatra's younger brother, played by Scott Chisolm. Seen in the episode Caesarion. Historically he was as young as is portrayed, and the character's "chubbiness" is a nice allusion to a family trait of the Ptolemaic dynastyPtolemaic dynastyThe Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
as historically attested in their artistic representations, nicknames and in the literary record, namely Ptolemy VIII PhysconPtolemy VIII PhysconPtolemy VIII Euergetes II , nicknamed , Phúskōn, Physcon for his obesity, was a king of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. His complicated career started in 170 BC, when Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Egypt, captured his brother Ptolemy VI Philometor and let him continue as a puppet monarch...
.
Commoners
The following are mostly the family, slaves and associates of Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)
Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
, Niobe
Niobe of the Voreni
Niobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
and Titus Pullo
Titus Pullo (character of Rome)
Titus Pullo is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Ray Stevenson. He is depicted as a hedonistic, devil-may-care soldier who discovers hidden ideals and integrity within himself...
:
- Evander Pulchio (Greek name, fictional), played by Enzo CilentiEnzo CilentiEnzo Cilenti is an English actor.He was born in Bradford to Italian parents. He is married to the actress Sienna Guillory, with whom he has appeared in several films.-Partial filmography:* Wonderland...
. The now deceased husband of Lyde, brother-in-law of NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
, and secretly the father of her son Lucius. Seen in An Owl in a Thornbush, Stealing from Saturn and The Ram has Touched the Wall.
- Gaia (fictional), played by Zuleikha RobinsonZuleikha RobinsonZuleikha Robinson is an English actress, raised in Thailand and Malaysia by a Burmese-Indian mother and an English father. She is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, and best known for playing Ilana in the ABC show Lost.In 2006, she played a Bengali character called...
. The former supervisor at a brothel who kept the customers in line, Gaia negotiates a similar job with better pay with Vorenus, now the leader of the Aventine. She becomes somewhat involved with Mascius, but also shows an opportunistic interest in both Vorenus and Pullo. Gaia makes an enemy of Pullo's wife EireneEirene (character of Rome)Eirene is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Chiara Mastalli.-Personality:Quiet and unassuming, Eirene speaks with a foreign accent to show her non-Roman origin and is somewhat of a mystery. Although Eirene's love belonged to a slave who was...
, who compels Pullo to beat an insubordinate Gaia in Death MaskDeath Mask (Rome)"Death Mask" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It aired on March 4, 2007.-Plot summary:Servilia mourns the death of Brutus, killed at Phillipi. She kneels in front of Atia's door chanting repeatedly for justice. Although Atia ignores her initially, the...
; he roughs her up, but with her encouragement ends up having rough sex with her as well. Later, Gaia acquires an abortion-inducing herbAbortifacientAn abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. Abortifacients for animals that have mated undesirably are known as mismating shots....
called silphiumSilphiumSilphium was a plant that was used in classical antiquity as a rich seasoning and as a medicine. It was the essential item of trade from the ancient North African city of Cyrene, and was so critical to the Cyrenian economy that most of their coins bore a picture of the plant...
, which she administers surreptitiously to Eirene in her tea in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
. Eirene miscarries, and then dies (apparently of blood loss). In Deus Impeditio Esuritori NullusDeus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man)"Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus" is the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 18, 2007...
, Gaia and Pullo have been in a relationship for a few years; she is mortally wounded saving him from an attack by Memmio, and on her deathbed admits that she killed Eirene. Pullo strangles her to death, and throws her body unceremoniously into the river. Gaia appeared in Son of HadesSon of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
, These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius CiceroThese Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero"These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero" is the third episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:...
, Heroes of the RepublicHeroes of the Republic"Heroes of the Republic" is the fifth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:The struggle in Rome continues as Octavian, the new Caesar, with his army at the city's borders, establishes himself as consul to the senate with the reluctant help of Cicero. Meanwhile,...
, PhilippiPhilippi (Rome)"Philippi" is the sixth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The episode portrays the civil war between the Second Triumvirate and the combined forces of Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, murderers of Julius Caesar...
, Death MaskDeath Mask (Rome)"Death Mask" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It aired on March 4, 2007.-Plot summary:Servilia mourns the death of Brutus, killed at Phillipi. She kneels in front of Atia's door chanting repeatedly for justice. Although Atia ignores her initially, the...
and A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
.
- Lucius (fictional), played by Marco Pollack, Alessio Cuna and Stefan Brown. Son of NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
and Evander Pulchio — a fact that was hidden from Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
until the Kalends of February. Until then, Vorenus was led to believe the boy was his grandson by his eldest daughter Vorena the Elder. Appears in How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic, An Owl in a Thornbush, Stealing from Saturn, The Ram has Touched the Wall, Egeria, Utica, and Kalends of February.
- Lyde (Greek name, fictional), played by Esther HallEsther HallEsther Hall is an English actress who has had high profile roles in a number of television dramas.Born in Manchester in 1970 and brought up in Cheshire, she took A levels in Manchester before training in Theatre Arts for three years at the University of Leeds Bretton Hall College where she gained a...
. Sister of NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
, widow of Evander Pulchio, and business partner with the Vorenus family in a very profitable joint-venture butcher shop. Seen in An Owl in a Thornbush, Stealing from Saturn, The Ram has Touched the Wall, Egeria, Pharsalus and Utica.
- Mascius (fictional), played by Michael NardoneMichael NardoneMichael Nardone is a Scottish actor born in 1967 in Fife, was raised in Ballingry and trained at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. He starred as Mascius in the BBC/HBO/RAI TV series Rome and appeared as DCI Richard Whiteside in BBC Scotland drama River City.-Selected Filmography:* ...
. An old comrade of Pullo and Vorenus, he comes to the Aventine in Son of HadesSon of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
seeking work under Vorenus as his third in command behind Pullo. He first appears in The Spoils, and later returns in Son of HadesSon of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
, These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius CiceroThese Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero"These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero" is the third episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:...
, Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)"Testudo et Lepus " is the fourth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot:43 BC. Servilia's spy Duro has been taken into service at Atia's villa by Castor, Atia's lead male house slave, in exchange for sexual favors. Duro slips into Atia's kitchen where he secretly poisons...
and Heroes of the RepublicHeroes of the Republic"Heroes of the Republic" is the fifth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:The struggle in Rome continues as Octavian, the new Caesar, with his army at the city's borders, establishes himself as consul to the senate with the reluctant help of Cicero. Meanwhile,...
.
- Rubio (fictional), played by Alessio Di Cesare/David Quinzi. A slave brought back from Gaul by VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
, he falls ill and is taken to NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
for care. He appears in episodes The Stolen Eagle, How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic, The Ram has Touched the Wall and Egeria as well as Utica, Triumph, The Spoils and Kalends of February.
- Vorena the Elder (fictional), played by Coral AmigaCoral AmigaCoral Amiga is an English actress born in London. She is best known for her portrayal of Vorena the Elder, in the television series Rome. After attending the American School in London, she went on to receive a Bachelors Degree at NYU.-Filmography:...
. She is the first daughter of Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
and NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
. Vorena is the feminine form for names in the Voreni family. She is somewhat impulsive and, like her father Lucius Vorenus, has a bitter, unforgiving nature. Seen in How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic, An Owl in a Thornbush, Stealing from Saturn, The Ram has Touched the Wall, Egeria, Utica, Triumph, and Kalends of February.
- Vorena the Younger (fictional), played by Anna Fausta Primiano/Valery Usai. She is the second daughter of Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
and NiobeNiobe of the VoreniNiobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Indira Varma.-Personality:...
. During the entire run of the series, she only utters sounds thrice: initially, at the beginning of Egeria when she makes a yelping noise whilst playing hide and seekHide and seekHide-and-seek or hide-and-go-seek is a variant of the game tag, in which a number of players conceal themselves in the environment, to be found by one or more seekers.-Variants:Numerous variants of the game can be found around the world...
with the family's young Gaulish slave; then twice in Heroes of the RepublicHeroes of the Republic"Heroes of the Republic" is the fifth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:The struggle in Rome continues as Octavian, the new Caesar, with his army at the city's borders, establishes himself as consul to the senate with the reluctant help of Cicero. Meanwhile,...
, first she catches Vorena the Elder's attention while riding in the back of a wagon by saying, "Sister!" and later excitedly exclaims "Lyde!" upon seeing her aunt for the first time after her rescue from slavery. At the end of the series, she is credited by Pullo for all but running the Collegium tavern. Pullo says she has the "glare of MedusaMedusaIn Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
". Seen in How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic, An Owl in a Thornbush, Stealing from Saturn, The Ram has Touched the Wall, Egeria, Utica, and Triumph.
Other
- Charmian (historically, Charmian (servant to Cleopatra)Charmian (servant to Cleopatra)Charmian was a trusted servant and advisor to the historical Cleopatra VII of Egypt.-Plutarch:In Plutarch's Parallel Lives biography of Mark Antony, he noted that Augustus Caesar "had a decree made, declaring war on Cleopatra, and depriving Antony of the authority which he had let a woman exercise...
), played by Kathryn HunterKathryn HunterKathryn Hunter is an award-winning English actress and theatre director.Hunter was born in New York to Greek parents but brought up in the UK...
, is CleopatraCleopatra (character of Rome)Cleopatra is a character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Lyndsey Marshal from October 16, 2005 through March 25, 2007. The basis for this character is the famous historical Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII.-Personality:...
's dedicated slave and advisor.
- Eleni (fictional), played by Suzanne BertishSuzanne BertishSuzanne C. Bertish is an English actress.A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Bertish has appeared in many productions with them, including their marathon eight-and-a-half hour version of Charles Dickens's The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, in which she played three roles...
, is Servilia's body-slave.
- Herod (historically, Herod the GreatHerod the GreatHerod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his...
), played by René ZaggerRené ZaggerRené Zagger is an English actor, probably best known for playing PC Nick Klein in The Bill from 1999 to 2004. He has also made several guest appearances in Casualty, and Wycliffe.- Background :...
, is the Prince of Judea and Tetrarch of Galilee. He comes to Rome in Death MaskDeath Mask (Rome)"Death Mask" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It aired on March 4, 2007.-Plot summary:Servilia mourns the death of Brutus, killed at Phillipi. She kneels in front of Atia's door chanting repeatedly for justice. Although Atia ignores her initially, the...
to offer Mark AntonyMark Antony (character of Rome)Mark Antony is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by James Purefoy. Like the real Mark Antony he was a Roman general and politician and a close supporter of Julius Caesar.- Season 1 :...
a "gift"BriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
of gold in exchange for Rome's assistance in Herod's ascension to the throne of Judea. Levi and TimonTimon (character of Rome)Timon, is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Lee Boardman. He is a Jew, depicted as a "hired sword" – from bodyguard to assassin – for Atia of the Julii, from whom he is quite willing to take her body in lieu of coin.-Personality:Timon initially appears as little...
planned to assassinateAssassinationTo carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
him during the marriage festivities of Mark Antony and OctaviaOctavia of the JuliiOctavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon. The character is based on the Roman matron Octavia Thurina Minor, sister of Roman Emperor Augustus.-Season One:...
; however, the two brothers have a falling out in which Levi is mortally wounded with his own knife by Timon and the attempt is never made.
- Levi (fictional), played by Nigel LindsayNigel LindsayNigel Lindsay is an English actor. He was nominated for Best British Comedy Performance in Film at the 2011 British Comedy Awards for his performance as Barry, the Muslim convert in Chris Morris's BAFTA winning Four Lions and won the 2011 Whatsonstage Award for Best Supporting Actor as Dr Harry...
. Brother of TimonTimon (character of Rome)Timon, is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Lee Boardman. He is a Jew, depicted as a "hired sword" – from bodyguard to assassin – for Atia of the Julii, from whom he is quite willing to take her body in lieu of coin.-Personality:Timon initially appears as little...
, outspoken zealot Levi comes to Rome from Jerusalem in Season 2, after getting himself into political trouble in JudeaIudaea ProvinceJudaea or Iudaea are terms used by historians to refer to the Roman province that extended over parts of the former regions of the Hasmonean and Herodian kingdoms of Israel...
. Religious and resentful of the Romans as well as Jewish collaborators with Rome, he soon helps a troubled and conflicted Timon rediscover his JudaismJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. Unfortunately, Levi's assassination attempt on Herod of Judea in Death MaskDeath Mask (Rome)"Death Mask" is the seventh episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It aired on March 4, 2007.-Plot summary:Servilia mourns the death of Brutus, killed at Phillipi. She kneels in front of Atia's door chanting repeatedly for justice. Although Atia ignores her initially, the...
comes to a tragic end.
- Memmio (fictional). Captain of one of the largest underworld gangs, the Caelians; keeps an uneasy alliance with Vorenus, leader of the Aventine. When it is discovered that he stole gold destined for Antony, Titus Pullo's and Memmio's respective gangs fight and Memmio's tongue is bitten off by Pullo, who then keeps him in a cage to remind others to remain loyal.
- Merula (fictional), played by Lydia Biondi, is Atia's body-servant.
- Newsreader (Senate Crier) (fictional), played by Ian McNeiceIan McNeiceIan McNeice is a prolific English screen, stage, and television character actor.-Early life:McNeice was born in Basingstoke in Hampshire. McNeice's acting training started at the Taunton School in Somerset, followed by two years at the Salisbury Playhouse...
. Appears in almost every episode. The closest Rome comes to a narrator, and the mouthpiece for pieces of plot exposition not fully explained. The Newsreader announces daily the pronouncements of the Senate, public service announcements, business advertisements, and the current events of the Republic to the people in the ForumRoman ForumThe Roman Forum is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum...
. He often uses dramatic gesticulations when using names of important Romans, like Gaius Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar (character of Rome)Gaius Julius Caesar is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actor Ciarán Hinds...
. All these pronouncements would also – as portrayed in the series – be publicly displayed later in written form on the Senate-House door, for the literate few. The role is a more-or-less attested one in Ancient Greek and Roman society, as there was never any public gallery in the building where the government met and much of the population was illiterate. The Latin word for newsreader is praeco, and in many old translations is translated as herald.
- Omnipor (fictional), played by Rocky MarshallRocky MarshallRocky Marshall is a British television and film actor, living near Battersea park.-Biography:He has starred in mainstream movies such as Mr Right, Hart's War, Re-Kill and Mean Machine...
. Works for Memmio of the Caelians; romances Vorena the Elder, daughter of Vorenus, with questionable intentions. After his treachery is revealed, he is seemingly killed by an axe thrown by Pullo in A Necessary FictionA Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
.
- Vercingetorix (historically, VercingetorixVercingetorixVercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
), played by Giovanni Calcagno. "King of the Gauls," he appears in The Stolen Eagle and Triumph.