Faculty note: Prof. Gregory Aldrete publishes video lecture analyzing Roman movies

Have you ever wondered how accurate your favorite movie set in ancient Rome really is? Frankenthal Prof. of History and Humanities Gregory Aldrete recently published a video lecture course titled “A Historian Goes to the Movies: Ancient Rome,” made with the Teaching Company/The Great Courses in which he analyzes famous movies set in the ancient world. In his analysis, Aldrete explains how historically accurate the movies are, and he reveals the challenges that the film makers faced in re-creating the colorful cultures, heroic battles, majestic cities, exotic costumes and memorable characters of the ancient world. From film classics such as “Ben-Hur,” “Spartacus” and “Life of Brian” to more contemporary depictions such as “Gladiator” and HBO’s “Rome,” this course offers viewers a deeper understanding of both Roman history and modern cinema. The series features 12 separate lectures on various ancient Roman film adaptations.