Before Spartacus aired on Starz, a similar historical action series was on TV, and it's now seeing a resurgence on the streaming charts. Spartacus debuted in 2010 and starred Andy Whitfield (and, later, Liam McIntyre) as the titular slave-turned-gladiator. Created by Steven S. DeKnight, the series aired for three seasons (plus a prequel), earned rave reviews (90% on Rotten Tomatoes), and received nominations at the Emmys and SAG Awards.
Five years earlier, HBO launched its own historical drama, Rome, starring Ray Stevenson, Kevin McKidd and Polly Walker. It aired for only two seasons because of its enormous budget but, like Spartacus, received positive reviews. It has an 86% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 96% among audiences, and went on to win several Emmys. Years ago, there were reports that a film would be made to continue the story, but nothing ever materialized.
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Despite the movie never getting made, audiences are still discovering Rome almost two decades later, thanks to streaming. The historical drama is No. 2 on the Apple Store's Top 10 TV shows chart in the United States, as of October 14, 2026. HBO Originals are dominating this chart right now, with The Sopranos at the top. Below Rome are The Wire (No. 3), Six Feet Under (No. 4), Veep (No. 5), True Detective (No. 6), True Blood (No. 7), Silicon Valley (No. 8), and Barry (No. 10). The only non-HBO series on the list is the iconic sitcom I Love Lucy, which is at No. 9.
Several of these shows are on sale right now in the Apple Store, which might explain why they've suddenly jumped into the Top 10. The complete series of Rome, for example, is currently selling for $10, down from its original price of $35.
While Apple's deals likely helped Rome rise to No. 2 on the streaming charts, its current success comes as the historical drama genre seeks a resurgence on cable and streaming platforms. In recent months, Netflix released shows like the Little House on the Prairie reboot and Florence Pugh's East of Eden adaptation. HBO will bring back The Gilded Age for season 4 on November 1. Then Netflix has a new Pride and Prejudice miniseries in December, and Prime Video will debut the new Viking historical drama Bloodaxe in January 2027.
Rome may have only had two seasons, but its impact continues to be felt to this day, with streaming platforms leading the charge.
