Summary
The Peacock seriesThose About to Dieonly focuses on a few key members of the Flavian dynasty, which is a good thing as the Flavian family tree is a complicated one. TheFlavian dynasty ofThose About to Dieruled, historically speaking, for a rather short amount of time, butthe family’s impact on Rome went deep. Vespasian and his sons are just a few of the real historical figures inThose About to Die’s cast of characters, though some members of the Flavian family are missing in the show for various reasons.
Those About to Dieunderscores how rare it was for a son to inherit the throne after his biological father; in ancient Rome, the path to the throne often came after an assassination or a regime change. Interestingly,Vespasian saw not one, but both of his sons follow him to the throne,and one ruled even longer than he did. The Flavian dynasty is an interesting one, with a family tree that is relatively short but mighty.
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Vespasian
The Patriarch
InThose About to Die, Flavian dynasty patriarch Vespasianis played by Sir Anthony Hopkins in a role that is reminiscent of the MCU’s Odin. As he reminds his sons,he was the one who became the last man standing after the Year of Four Emperorsand brought peace to Rome after a tumultuous few years. After Nero’s death, four men took the throne in quick succession, ending with Vespasian, who ruled for 10 years before his death.
HIs death in the show is similar to historical records,save for the fact it left out that he likely had dysentery or typhoid. But his desire to die standing up, as well as his declaration that he could feel himself becoming a god are all in line with historical documents. Like the Vespasian of the show, the real Vespasian also had two wildly opposite sons, one of whom he had to choose to be his successor; he chose Titus, who was a warrior just as he himself had been.
Domitilla the Elder
The Matriarch
InThose About to Die, the Flavian women aren’t much present. In fact,Domitilla isn’t even a character.The focus is entirely on the Flavian men; first the tension between the father and sons and then the rivalry between the sons after Vespasian passes. While there are plenty of strong women in the show, unfortunately, Domitilla isn’t one of them.
Historically, there’s a good reason for this:Domitilla died before Vespasian even took the throne.Not much is known about her death other than that she and their daughter, Domitilla the Younger, both passed before Vespasian became emperor. After the Flavian men established their dynasty ruling Rome, Domitilla the Elder was deified, earning the name of Diva Domitilla. Her eldest son, Titus, then had her likeness printed on coins with her deified name during his reign.
Titus
The Eldest Son
Tom Hughes plays the eldest son of Vespasian, Titus, a soldier and leader of the Roman legions, just as his father was before him. While Titus does not loathe the idea of being emperor,he’s not particularly skilled at or admiring of the political machinations required to rule.He finds the gladiatorial combat at the Circus Maximus distasteful, not because men die horribly, but because they die for entertainment and sport rather than on the battlefield. In that, he considers it a waste.
As in the show,the real Titus succeeded his father on the throne,and his rule was surprisingly effective. Roman citizens of the time had heard that Titus was wild and prone to excess, but he proved to be a sober and level-headed leader who helped the refugees from Pompeii and Herculaneum, which had been destroyed by Mount Vesuvius, and helped to rebuild Rome after the fire. However, also like Titus inThose About to Die, the real Titus carried on an affair with the Judean princess Berenice, much to the consternation of Roman citizens and the Senate.
Marcia Furnilla
Titus' Second Wife
In the series,Clélia Zanini plays Marcia, Titus' new bride.She doesn’t play a large role; Titus only marries her to rehabilitate his image after all of Rome being unhappy with his very well-known affair with the Judean queen, Berenice. Titus is hopeful, but Berenice is pragmatic and still remembers what happened with Antony and Cleopatra; she knows that the Roman people will never accept a foreign queen. Thus, inThose About to Dieepisode 5, with very little fanfare or warning, Titus introduces his new bride to the crowd at the Circus Maximus.
In the show, Marcia has little to do. In fact, her character seems as though it is an amalgam of Titus' first wife, Arrecina Tertulla, to whom he was married only briefly, and his second, Marcia Furnilla. InThose About to Die,it strongly implies that Titus hasn’t yet been married, nor is he yet a father,but the wife he takes shortly after becoming emperor. The show takes a lot of liberties with Titus' real history. In reality, he was married twice for short periods long before becoming emperor. Marcia and Titus divorced in 65 AD, 14 years before Titus even became emperor.
Domitian
The Younger Son
The youngest son of Vespasian, Domitian, is played by Jojo Macari inThose About to Die. Unlike his older brother, Titus, Domitian is not a soldier,but a politician of the Senate and the overseer of the Circus Maximus.He’s skilled at negotiation and intelligence, and the show underscores that he was the one there supporting their ailing father and helping him with smart decisions and strategy while Titus was off fighting. He’s clearly hurt by the way Vespasian doesn’t value his skills, despite all that he’s done for his father.
In reality, Domitian was just as much of a schemer as in the show. He also took the throne after his brother’s death, as shown in theending ofThose About to Die, which he may or may not have had a hand in. However, while he was hated in his time on the throne by the Senate and Roman nobility,modern historians have been somewhat kinder to him.Domitian certainly ruled by a cult of personality, but he was also credited with reforming corruption in Rome, rebuilding the parts damaged in the fire, and stabilizing Rome’s economy. In the end, he ruled for longer than both his brother and his father, ruling for 15 years.
Domitia Longina
Domitian’s Wife
A character who has not yet appeared inThose About to Dieis Domitia Longina, Domitian’s wife. She married Domitian in 71 AD and became empress upon his ascension to the throne in 81 AD.The pair remained married until his assassination in 96 AD,though their marriage was tumultuous for a time. In 83 AD, he had her exiled, the rumor being that she had an affair with an actor named Paris, though modern scholars argue it was more likely that she had failed to produce another heir after their first and only son, Flavius Caesar, died young. He shortly recalled her, though. IfThose About to Dieseason 2 introduces her, it could be a very interesting storyline.
Those About To Die
Set in the year 79 AD in Rome, “Those About to Die” dives into the brutal and complex world of gladiatorial combat. The series explores the dark underbelly of Roman entertainment, where the promise of free food and blood-soaked spectacles keep the restless population in check. The narrative focuses on various characters from all corners of the Roman Empire, whose lives intersect in the grand arena.
