If you have never heard the name Titus Pullo, I suggest you load up your Max app, play episode 1 of the forgotten masterpieceRome, and meet one of the greatest TV characters to ever grace the screen. A historical sword-and-sandals retelling of Julius Caesar’s rise to power and the aftermath of his death,Romeonly lasted two seasons and ended right in the middle of the storydue to its massive budget. Butthe loss of one of HBO’s timeless classicshas always been a personal letdown of my TV viewing life.
Game of Thronesbefore there wasGame of Thrones,Romeis an epic tale that made fantastic use of its budget to perfect the look of the Roman world. Even better than the production and story were the characters. HBO veterans dot the cast butspecial mention needs to be made for Titus Pullo, played by the lateRay Stevenson in one of his greatest roles. Not only was Stevenson’s passing upsetting on its own, but it also meant I would never have the chance to see one of the most iconic TV characters return to the screen.
Titus Pullo Is A Better Antihero Than Most TV Icons
Titus Is A Human And Conflicted Character
Titus Pullo is one of the best anti-heroes I’ve ever seen. Anti-hero is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but Titus is in a rarefied air with the likes of Tony Soprano and Walter White. Few characters can straddle the line of villainy and heroism quite like Titus. Those who try often end up falling onto one side or the other. What separates Titus fromthe other great anti-heroesis that, while many, like the aforementioned Walter and Tony, are, in the end, villains,Titus has the most realistic claim to be called a hero.
Titus has so many layers of pain and joy, it’s a shame we never got to unpeel more of him.
A charming rogue or an angry brute, it’s never quite clear who Titus is and when he does something shockingly awful, he puts his head between his hands, like a child who accidentally bruised his sibling roughhousing. He doesn’t want power or fame, he wants to be good, but in the harsh world of Rome, his size and strength mean he’s good at precisely one thing. A charming rogue for sure, but not quite one with a heart of gold. Titus has so many layers of pain and joy, it’s a shame we never got to unpeel more of him.
Titus Pullo’s Real-Life Connection To Julius Caesar Explained
Lucius Vorenus And Titus Pullo Are Mentioned In Caesar’s Journals
The main characters ofRome, Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd), are based on two Roman centurions mentioned in Caesar’sCommentarii de Bello Gallico, the general-turned-emperor’s account of the Gallic Wars. Caeaer briefly mentions these men, commenting that they shared a bitter rivalry but in a heated moment of battle, they took turns saving one another in front of the legion (viaHistorum).
Rome: 5 Things that Are Accurate and 5 Things That Are Totally Fabricated
Roman life is often dramatized in modern media, and, while HBO’s Rome got some things right, they chose to exaggerate in some places.
That sequence is alluded to in those characters' introduction, but the show takes liberties with their lives after, proposing they were present at all the major moments in the history of the creation of the Roman Empire. It’s a fantastic conceit and the fact that both men actually appear in Caesar’s writinggives their journey a much more poignant and inspiring angle.
Rome Season 2 Perfectly Set Up Titus Pullo’s Season 3 Arc
What’s even worse aboutRomebeing canceled before season 3 is that they had the perfect setup at the end of season 2. Titus has been put in charge of Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) and Cleopatra’s (Lyndsey Marshal) son, Caesarion (Max Baldry), entrusted to keep him hidden from his enemies. Only Titus knows that Caesarion is his child. I would have loved to see this storyline inRomeseason 3, but if I’m being honest, I would take Ray Stevenson in just about anything. Rest in peace.
Rome
Cast
Rome is a historical drama television series that aired from 2005 to 2007. The show is set in the 1st century BC and follows the lives of two Roman soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, as they navigate the complexities of ancient Roman politics and warfare.
