Love The Roman Empire? Here Are 9 Movies To Watch
From "Gladiator" to "Cleopatra", this list is all swords, sandals, betrayal, and brooding men with daddy issues
Somewhere in the back of every man’s mind—wedged between football stats, fantasy league picks, and the existential question of what to order for lunch—is the Roman Empire. It’s not just a meme anymore; it’s anthropology at this point.
From the colossal egos to the crumbling marble columns, the Roman Empire represents everything men love to mythologise. Marble columns. Violent betrayals. Gods. Sandals. Sword fights that end in monologues. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be addressed as “Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North”?
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So if you’re one of the many silently fascinating about Roman aqueducts and men in skits, this is your Colosseum. Eight films. Each drenched in sand, sweat, and political sabotage. Some are brilliant. Some are bonkers. All are essential.
Ancient Roman Empire Movies
Whether you’re here for historical insight, absurd opulence, or just an excuse to yell “I AM SPARTACUS” at the screen, here’s your ultimate watchlist.
Gladiator (2000) and Gladiator II (2024)
Well, are you not entertained? Are you? Gladiator (2000) is the obvious. This is the film that reignited the Roman epic and gave us Russell Crowe in full vengeance mode. There’s nothing subtle here—honour, betrayal, roaring crowds—but it works because Crowe commits to every grunt and sword swing like his life depends on it. Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus is a spoiled Caesar salad of insecurity and incest vibes, and the late Oliver Reed gives gravitas in his final role.
Meanwhile, Gladiator II is not a bad sequel too. The movie drops us into the aftermath of Maximus’s noble death, but this time we’re following Lucius – played by Paul Mescal, who’s basically brooding his way through Roman trauma. The vibe is still dusty, bloody, and emotionally intense, but it leans more chaotic nephew than noble warrior. There are new emperors, new betrayals, and Pedro Pascal in sandals (so, obviously, we’re in).
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Ben-Hur (1959)
Yes, it’s long. Yes, there’s a subplot involving Jesus. But trust me: when that chariot race kicks off, it all becomes worth it. Ben-Hur is epic in the old-school sense—sprawling, operatic, dripping in melodrama and Roman imperialism. Charlton Heston’s Judah is the blueprint for the wronged man saga, and Stephen Boyd’s Messala is petty villainy personified. It’s a bromance gone spectacularly wrong, with slavery, betrayal, and a race-to-the-death as the messy fallout.
Spartacus (1960)
Before he was The Shining’s overlord of horror, Stanley Kubrick gave us a glossier kind of rebellion. Spartacus is technically messy but emotionally grand—equal parts political treatise and gladiator uprising. Kirk Douglas is all grit and abs, but the real heat comes from Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton sniping at each other in senatorial robes. It’s less about historical precision and more about the raw, swelling urge to fight the system with nothing but your will, your chain, and a half-naked army.
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Caligula (1979)
This one is… unhinged. Funded by Penthouse, edited by a madman, and featuring a cast that clearly didn’t read the final cut of the script, Caligula is more chaotic than any TikTok edit of Roman debauchery. Malcolm McDowell’s emperor is peak Roman lunacy—equal parts terrifying and tragic. It’s grotesque, indulgent, and occasionally just baffling. Is it good? Not really. Is it unforgettable? Absolutely.
Pompeii (2014)
This one’s for the disaster film fans who also enjoy a bit of shirtless gladiator action. Kit Harington, fresh off Game of Thrones, flexes his brooding muscles while Vesuvius gets ready to blow (literally and figuratively). Pompeii is part love story, part revenge plot, part CGI lava-fest. The historical accuracy is shaky at best, but if you like watching ancient cities crumble while people fight in slow motion, this is the popcorn movie Rome deserves.
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Agora (2009)
Set in Alexandria rather than Rome proper, Agora dials back the violence and zooms in on intellect. Rachel Weisz plays Hypatia, a philosopher and astronomer caught in the crossfire of rising religious fundamentalism. It’s thoughtful, elegant, and surprisingly intense for a movie about ancient mathematics. If you think Roman history is all battles and betrayals, Agora is here to remind you that the fall of empires also involves the quiet destruction of knowledge.
Cleopatra (1963)
This film nearly bankrupted a studio, and you can see every dollar on screen. Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra is a walking, talking symbol of how to weaponise beauty and brains against imperial ambition. She seduces, manipulates, and rules in a world designed to crush her. Sure, the pacing lags and some scenes feel like fever dreams, but the scale is impeccable.
Julius Caesar (1953)
If you’re here for togas and treachery, this Shakespearean take hits the sweet spot. Julius Caesar gives the legendary betrayal the theatrical heft it deserves, with Marlon Brando as a surprisingly convincing Mark Antony. It’s less about armies and more about oratory—the speeches, the conspiracies, the slow unravelling of loyalty and power. The drama feels personal, the politics still hit hard, and the whole thing unfolds with a sense of tragic inevitability.