Old and ill, Augustus, the man who changed the fortunes and destiny of an empire by completing Julius Caesar's project, recounts the two most important phases of his life: his rise to power and his fight against the pressure of his family.
Acting
O'Toole's deathbed monologues should be illegal they're so good.
Production
Two-part structure lets Rome breathe before it suffocates.
Writing
The Agrippa-Augustus friendship wrecks you quietly.
Director
Roger Young
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
O'Toole was 71 during filming and had nearly died himself years earlier; he brought genuine fragility to every scene.
The 2003 miniseries format was rare for historical drama then—this helped revive the prestige TV epic before Rome and Game of Thrones.
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