rediff.com: Roman a clef

The Roman Empire saw the rise and fall of the mightiest of tyrants. The legends of Augustus, Julius Caesar, Nero and Caligula are evidence enough of the glorious reign of one of the world's earliest imperial civilisations.

Imperial Rome no longer exists. But the pantheons, colosseums, churches and the architectural wonders that Rome is most famous for still remains, echoing the sentiments of a prehistoric era.

Rome has, more than once, inspired Hollywood filmmakers. Their glorious attempts to revive the legends on big screen, resulted in masterpieces like Quo Vadis, Ben Hur and Spartacus.

The last successful attempt was by genius filmmaker Stanley Kubrick: Spartacus (1960). The latest, 40 years later, is Ridley Scott's Gladiator.

rediff.com takes you on a free tour to Hollywood's depiction of the captivating world of ancient Rome.

Text: Sukanya Verma