Watch Movies & TV Shows About The Roman Empire: A Streaming Guide to Ancient Rome

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The Roman Empire fell many years ago, but the power and influence of this historic era lives on through some incredible movies and TV shows. These are our top picks of movies and TV shows about the Roman Empire, and where you can stream them online!

Top 10 Movies & TV Shows About The Roman Empire

I, Claudius

The brilliant BBC series, I, Claudius, stars Derek Jacobi as the famous Roman emperor Claudius. The show is an adaptation of Robert Graves’ 1934 novel of the same name, and his 1935 sequel ‘Claudius the God’. Siân Phillips, Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart and John Rhys-Davies also feature.

Gladiator

No list about the Roman Empire would be complete without Gladiator. Ridley Scott’s masterpiece stars Russell Crowe as Maximus Meridius and won five Academy Awards with another seven nominations. Scott’s long-awaited sequel Gladiator II premieres in 2024.

Rome

This HBO historical drama series is set in the 1st Century BC during Ancient Rome’s transition from a Republic to an Empire. Rome features a huge ensemble cast, with Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon and James Purefoy appearing in every episode.

Cleopatra

Elizabeth Taylor stars as the iconic queen, Cleopatra, in this epic spectacle. As Cleopatra struggles to hold on to her power, she seduces Roman emperor Julius Caesar (Rex Harrison), and then his general Marc Antony (Richard Burton).

Masada

Masada is a fictional account about the siege of the Masada citadel in Israel by the Roman Empire in 73 AD. Based on Ernest Gann’s 1971 novel ‘The Antagonists’, the miniseries stars Peter O’Toole as commander Lucius Flavius Silva.

Ben-Hur

Charlton Heston stars as Ben-Hur, a Jew living in ancient Judea in 25 AD, and an opponent to the occupying Roman Empire. When he is falsely accused of assassinating the Roman governor, he is enslaved.

Those About To Die

Those About To Die follows the world of gladiators in Ancient Rome. At the height of the Roman Empire, nothing satiates the crowds quite like a bloody, brutal fight amongst men and beast. Sir Anthony Hopkins stars as Emperor Vespasian.

Spartacus

Stanley Kubrick, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier team up for the 1960 classic, Spartacus. Born and raised a slave, Spartacus is sold to a Gladiator trainer and taught to kill, while entertaining the crowds of Ancient Rome.

Plebs

This comedy sitcom is much lighter viewing. Plebs follows three young men who are desperate to get laid, keep their jobs and climb the social ladder in Ancient Rome.

Agora

A refreshingly female-focused film, Rachel Weisz stars in 2009’s Agora. Weisz plays Hypatia, a lady philosopher who must save the classical knowledge of the Empire from rampaging Christian mobs. The film also features Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac and Ashraf Barhom.

Where to watch the best movies and TV shows about the Roman Empire online

The truth is that there are loads of brilliant movies and TV shows about the Roman Empire, and they couldn’t all fit in our Top 10 list! Read on for our full list of movies and TV shows about the Roman Empire below, which includes all the streaming information (including where to watch) that you need to enjoy this content online.

Netflix
Disney Plus
Amazon Prime Video
Apple TV Plus
Apple TV
Rakuten TV
Crunchyroll
Amazon Video
Paramount Plus
Channel 4
Sky Go
Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
BBC iPlayer
MUBI
Google Play Movies
BFI Player
Sky Store
Microsoft Store
Freevee
Curzon Home Cinema
ITVX
YouTube
Shudder
ARROW
Arrow Video Amazon Channel
Talk Talk TV
UKTV Play
GuideDoc
Movietickets
Netflix Kids
YouTube Premium
BFI Player Amazon Channel
Hayu
Hayu Amazon Channel
My5
BritBox Amazon Channel
MUBI Amazon Channel
STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS Apple TV Channel
STV Player
Curiosity Stream
Flix Premiere
Hotstar
Revry
DOCSVILLE
Now TV
Spamflix
Dogwoof On Demand
Plex
WOW Presents Plus
Magellan TV
BroadwayHD
Filmzie
MovieSaints
Acorn TV
AcornTV Amazon Channel
Dekkoo
True Story
DocAlliance Films
Hoichoi
Now TV Cinema
CuriosityStream Amazon Channel
DocuBay Amazon Channel
Discovery+ Amazon Channel
Fandor Amazon Channel
Full Moon Amazon Channel
ITV Amazon Channel
Pokémon Amazon Channel
Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
Shudder Amazon Channel
Eros Now Amazon Channel
FilmBox Live Amazon Channel
MotorTrend Amazon Channel
W4free
Paus
Pluto TV
Eventive
ShortsTV Amazon Channel
Cultpix
FilmBox+
Yupp TV
Paramount+ Amazon Channel
Discovery+
Curzon Amazon Channel
Icon Film Amazon Channel
Hallmark TV Amazon Channel
Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel
Sundance Now Amazon Channel
Classix
Sooner Amazon Channel
Takflix
Klassiki
Sun Nxt
Viaplay
Netflix basic with Ads
Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel
Runtime
OUTtv Amazon Channel
HistoryPlay Amazon Channel
Crime+ Investigation Play Amazon Channel
Shahid VIP
Univer Video
Acorn TV Apple TV
Tastemade Apple TV Channel
CuriosityStream Apple TV Channel
BFI Player Apple TV Channel
Kocowa
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
ODEON Cinemas
Cineworld
Vue
Arte
Showcase Cinemas
MGM Plus Amazon Channel
Tubi TV
Plex Live TV
Everyman Cinema
Filters
  1. I, Claudius

    I, Claudius

    1976

    #1

    Acclaimed blackly comic historical drama series. Set amidst a web of power, corruption and lies, it chronicles the reigns of the Roman emperors - Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and finally Claudius.

  2. Gladiator

    Gladiator

    2000

    #2

    In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences..

  3. Rome

    Rome

    2005

    #3

    A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.

  4. Cleopatra

    Cleopatra

    1963

    #4

    Determined to hold on to the throne, Cleopatra seduces the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. When Caesar is murdered, she redirects her attentions to his general, Marc Antony, who vows to take power—but Caesar’s successor has other plans.

  5. Ben-Hur

    Ben-Hur

    1959

    #5

    In 25 AD, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jew in ancient Judea, opposes the occupying Roman empire. Falsely accused by a Roman childhood friend-turned-overlord of trying to kill the Roman governor, he is put into slavery and his mother and sister are taken away as prisoners.

  6. Those About to Die

    #6

    The series explores another side of Rome - the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most - blood and sport.

  7. Spartacus

    Spartacus

    1960

    #7

    The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.

  8. Plebs

    Plebs

    2013

    #8

    Sitcom about three desperate young men from the suburbs who try to get laid, hold down jobs and climb the social ladder in the big city - which just happens to be ancient Rome.

  9. Agora

    Agora

    2009

    #9

    A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria and her relationship with her slave Davus, who is torn between his love for her and the possibility of gaining his freedom by joining the rising tide of Christianity.

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  10. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar

    1953

    #10

    The assassination of the would be ruler of Rome at the hands of Brutus and company has tragic consequences for the idealist and the republic.

  11. Gladiator II

    #11

    After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.

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  12. Quo Vadis

    Quo Vadis

    1951

    #12

    After fierce Roman commander Marcus Vinicius becomes infatuated with beautiful Christian hostage Lygia, he begins to question the tyrannical leadership of the despotic emperor Nero.

  13. The Fall of the Roman Empire

    #13

    In the year 180 A.D. Germanic tribes are about to invade the Roman empire from the north. In the midst of this crisis ailing emperor Marcus Aurelius has to make a decision about his successor between his son Commodus, who is obsessed by power, and the loyal general Gaius Livius.

  14. The Robe

    The Robe

    1953

    #14

    Drunk and disillusioned Roman, Marcellus Gallio, wins Jesus' robe in a dice game after the crucifixion. Marcellus has never been a man of faith like his slave, Demetrius, but when Demetrius escapes with the robe, Marcellus experiences disturbing visions and feels guilty for his actions. Convinced that destroying the robe will cure him, Marcellus sets out to find Demetrius — and discovers his Christian faith along the way.

  15. Centurion

    Centurion

    2010

    #15

    Britain, A.D. 117. Quintus Dias, the sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, marches north with General Virilus' legendary Ninth Legion, under orders to wipe the Picts from the face of the Earth and destroy their leader, Gorlacon.

  16. Carry On Cleo

    Carry On Cleo

    1964

    #16

    Two Brits—inventor Hengist Pod, and Horse, a brave and cunning fighter—are captured and enslaved by invading Romans and taken to Rome. One of their first encounters in Rome leaves Hengist being mistaken for a fighter, and gets drafted into the Royal Guard to protect Cleopatra.

  17. Risen

    Risen

    2016

    #17

    Clavius, a powerful Roman military tribune, and his aide, Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

  18. The Eagle

    The Eagle

    2011

    #18

    In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca, Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.

  19. Pompeii

    Pompeii

    2014

    #19

    In 79 A.D., Milo, a slave turned gladiator, finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him.

  20. Caligula

    Caligula

    1979

    #20

    After the death of the paranoid emperor Tiberius, Caligula, his heir, seizes power and plunges the empire into a bloody spiral of madness and depravity.