juanlapuente Review of Hispania, la leyenda

Hispania, la leyenda (2010–2012)

The struggle of Celtiberian people for their independence from Roman invaders.

[8/10 · 28 October 2010]

It's been a long time since a good historical series was produced for the last time in Spain. Something repeated in many internet forums is that this series is not like "Rome" the last American Peplum, and it's true. The production means aren't the same either. For a regular private Spanish TV broadcast production It's quite good. The story is based quite accurately in historical facts about a century earlier than those of Rome, with the logical additions from imagination for a series plot. The resistance of Hispanic people to Roman conquest is not very well known out of the Iberian Peninsula. While Julius Caesar conquered Galia in 5 years, it took Romans more than 200 years to conquer the whole Hispania. Octavius himself finished it after Julius Caesar death. This series starts with a very significant episode of this resistance, when Viriathus rebelled against Servius Sulpicius Galba troops. Despite some minor mistakes in historical details, such as Greek names for all the Lusitanian characters, General and Pretor Imperial helmets in republican times,and the irregular acting of the many secondary characters, the result is quite interesting and promising. Lluis Homar is great as the treacherous and mean Galba and Enriquez gives a good impression of Viriathus. The plot seems simple and manichaeist, but follows quite strictly the contemporary historians texts. Let's hope this series will have a long and improving development.