Rome, the complete second season [videorecording] / HBO Entertainment ; in association with the BBC.

Contains Season I & Season II (22 episodes + extras).

Originally broadcast on HBO.

Season One: Bonus features: "Friends, Romans, countrymen": introduction to the characters of 'Rome'; eight revealing audio commentaries with cast and crew ; "All roads lead to Rome" interactive onscreen guide prepared by the series' historical consultant, Jonathan Stamp ; Shot-x-shot: Gladiator - a closer look at the thrilling episode 11 fight sequence ; Shot-x-shot: Caesar's triumph - detailing the production of the epic episode 10 triumph scene ; "The rise of Rome": behind-the-scenes featurette on sets, wardrobe and actors' boot camp ; "When in Rome" featurette on the culture of ancient Rome ; Photo gallery with over 50 never-before-scene images.

Season Two: Bonus features: Disc 1: Audio commentary on episode "Passover" ; "A tale of two Romes" featurette ; "All roads lead to Rome" featurette ; Season 1 recap. Disc 2: "All roads lead to Rome" featurette. Disc 3: "The making of Rome, Season II" featurette ; "All roads lead to Rome" featurette. Disc 4: Audio commentary on both episodes ; "The rise of Octavian: Rome's first emperor" featurette ; "All roads lead to Rome" featurette. Disc 5: Audio commentary on both episodes ; "Antony & Cleopatra" featurette; "All roads lead to Rome" featurette.

Widescreen (1.78:1); Dolby surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround.

Season One: Disc 1. The stolen eagle / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Michael Apted ; How Titus Pullo brought down the Republic / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Michael Apted -- Disc 2. An owl in a thornbush / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Michael Apted ; Stealing from Saturn / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Julian Farino ; The ram has touched the wall / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Allen Coulter -- Disc 3. Egeria / writer, John Milius and Bruno Heller, director, Alan Poul ; Pharsalus / writer, David Frankel, director, Tim Van Patten ; Caesarion / writer, William J. MacDonald, director, Stephen Shill -- Disc 4. Utica / writer, Alexandra Cunningham, director, Jeremy Podeswa ; Triumph / writer, Adrian Hodges, director, Alan Taylor -- Disc 5. The spoils / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Mikael Salomon ; Kalends of February / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Alan Taylor -- Disc 6. Bonus features.

Season Two: disc 1. Passover / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Tim Van Patten ; Son of Hades / writer, Bruno Heller, director, Allen Coulter -- disc 2. These being the words of Marcus Tullius Cicero / writer, Scott Buck, director, Alan Poul ; Testudo et Lepus (The tortoise and the hare) / writer, Todd Ellis Kessler, director, Adam Davidson -- disc 3. Heroes of the Republic / writer, Mere Smith, director, Alik Sakharov; Philippi / writer, Eoghan Mahony, Roger Young -- disc 4. Death mask / writer, Scott Buck, director, John Maybury ; Necessary fiction / writer, Todd Ellis Kessler, director, Carl Franklin -- disc 5. Deus impeditio esuritori nullus (No God can stop a hungry man) / writer, Mere Smith, director, Steve Shill ; De patre vostro (About your father) / writer, Bruno Heller, director, John Maybury.

Created by John Milius and William J. MacDonald and Bruno Heller ; co-producers, Robert Papazian and James Hirsch.

Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kenneth Cranham, James Purefoy, Ciarán Hinds, Lindsay Duncan, Tobias Menzies, Kerry Condon, Karl Johnson, Indira Varma, Simon Woods, Max Perkis, Lyndsey Marshal, David Bamber.

Season One: Four hundred years after the founding of the Republic, Rome is the wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people, epicenter of a sprawling empire. The Republic was founded on principles of shared power and fierce personal competition, never allowing one man to seize absolute control. But now, those foundations are crumbling, eaten away by corruption and excess. After eight years of war, soldiers Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo unwittingly become entwined in the historical events of ancient Rome. A serialized drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, husbands and wives, Rome chronicles a turbulent era that saw the death of a republic and the birth of an empire.

Season Two: In the year 44 B.C., Julius Caesar has been assassinated and civil war threatens to destroy the Republic. In the void left by Caesar's demise, egos clash and numerous players jockey for position. The brutally ambitious Mark Antony attempts to solidify his power, aligning himself with Atia, but coming to blows with her cunning son Octavian, who has been anointed in Caesar's will as his only son and heir. The conspirator Brutus ponders how to curry favor with the masses that have condemned him as a murderer, while his mother Servilia concocts a deadly plot of her own. Meanwhile, Titus Pullo attempts to pull his friend Lucius Vorenus out of the darkness that has engulfed his soul in the wake of personal tragedy. For once again, the fates of these two mismatched soldiers seem inexorably tied to the fate of Rome itself.

Rated: 18+

DVD, region 1.

English, French or Spanish dialogue with optional English, French or Spanish subtitles ; closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.