Ep 5. The Ram Has Touched The Wall

In the fifth episode of the first season of Rome, titled "The Ram Has Touched The Wall", tensions continue to rise in the city as Caesar's victory in Gaul draws closer. The episode opens with Caesar's army camped just outside the city gates, and his agents are hard at work trying to secure the loyalty of important figures in the city.

Meanwhile, back in Rome, Servilia is still plotting against Caesar and has enlisted the help of Pullo to carry out a plan to assassinate him. Pullo is conflicted, as he owes Caesar his life for saving him from execution earlier in the season, but ultimately he decides to go along with Servilia's plan.

As the episode progresses, we see a lot of political maneuvering and backstabbing among the city's elite, as they all jockey for positioning in the face of what they believe will be a Caesar victory. Octavian is particularly interesting in this episode, as he continues to establish himself as a player in the city's politics, even as he is still just a young boy.

One of the major threads in the episode revolves around the city's defenses. With Caesar's army literally knocking on their door, everyone is on edge and there is a lot of talk about whether the walls can hold against such a determined attack. Lepidus, one of Caesar's lieutenants, suggests a bold plan to breach the walls using a living "ram" made of wood and leather, and tensions rise even higher as Caesar gives the go-ahead for the plan.

As usual, the show is well-written, well-acted, and gorgeously shot. The attention to detail in the sets and costumes is particularly impressive, and the show really transports you to a different time and place. While the action is generally dialed back in this episode, it is replaced with more political intrigue and character development, which is just as compelling.

Overall, "The Ram Has Touched The Wall" is another great episode of Rome, and one that sets up even more interesting conflicts and storylines for the rest of the season.