Holiday Homework

Read, watch, listen and learn to do as the Romans do

Read

A national capital for less than 150 years, Rome is shaped by more than 2500 years of history. For a meticulously researched fictional account of Julius Caesar and the end of the Roman Republic, try Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series – its heavyweight fans include Henry Kissinger. You’ll need stamina; the seven books run to more than 6000 pages.

Also consider…

I, Claudius (1934) by Robert Graves: Set later than McCullough’s books, this is a much more approachable 400 pages. Presented as the autobiography of the “fool of the family” who would go on to become emperor, it’s a deliciously gossipy insider’s view of the imperial Rome of Tiberius and Caligula and is on Time magazine’s All-Time 100 list of the best Englishlanguage novels since 1923 (the beginning of Time).

Watch

Game of Thrones fans will enjoy the HBO show that paved the way for it. A $US 10-million-per-episode budget saw Rome dropped after two seasons (2005-07) but every dollar is on the screen in this vast adults-only tapestry of Roman Republican lives, from the mighty to the lowly.

Also consider…

Zen: In this 2011 British/Italian/ German TV series based on the Michael Dibdin books and starring Rufus Sewell, Detective Aurelio Zen’s cases unfold in a Rome that tourists never see.

The Talented Mr Ripley (1999): Sure, Federico Fellini’s long, satirical La Dolce Vita (1960) is a classic but don’t overlook the golden re-creation of late-1950s Rome that anchors this Oscarnominated psychological thriller starring Matt Damon as Ripley.

Listen

Don’t be fooled by the name – The Shopping News: Rome podcast is no bargain-hunters’ guide; it’s a unique insight into the real life of the city through the history of neighbourhood stores frequented by the locals. Beginning with memories of her own time there, journalist Joanna Robertson takes listeners on a sonic journey so evocative that you can almost feel the cobblestones and smell the fresh-baked bread. Available free on the BBC Radio 3 website.

Also consider…

Stabat Mater: If you’re okay with being moved to tears, there’s no better soundtrack for contemplation of the Eternal City than composer Stefano Lentini’s 2013 album. Soprano Sandra Pastrana and The City of Rome Contemporary Music Ensemble join Lentini to create soaring, mournful beauty. Domes, monuments and rooftops dominate the Eternal City’s skyline (above); Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) and Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) in the ambitious HBO TV series Rome