ZHUBIZ CHEZMIZ: TV SERIES- Barbarians: An impressive dramatisation of a historical event

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One thing that Netflix is very good at is turning historical events into binge-worthy dramas, from the Russian Revolution (The Last Czar) to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (The Crown). This week, they have done it again with “Barbarians”, a story of revenge and betrayal presented from the German perspective.

The six-episode series, set in 9 AD, is based on the battle of the Teutoburg Forest, fought between Germanic tribes and three legions of the Roman Empire. The Germanic alliance was led by Arminius, an officer of Varus’ auxilia and a chieftain of the Cherusci tribe. He acquired Roman citizenship and received a Roman military education, which enabled him to deceive the Roman commander and anticipate the Roman army’s tactical responses.

While the battle is viewed as a very important moment in history, considering it stopped the Roman expansion into northern Europe, the series focusses mainly on the friendship between Arminius, Thusnelda and Folkwin. The three were childhood friends, but Arminius, son of Cherusci tribal chief Segimer, was forced to join the Roman Empire in exchange for peace for his people.

When the new governor Varus demands a new tax from the tribe, Segimer was angry about the exploitation but could not do anything, as disobedience could mean the massacre of his people. However, Thusnelda and Folkwin deal Rome a symbolic blow, which leads to an epic historical clash.

The series depicts a great historical conflict, brutal bloodshed on both land and sea and folklore mythology. Viewers will find themselves time-travelling to Roman-occupied Germany, thanks to the excellent production design and cinematography. Plus, the actors who play Roman characters speak Latin, a bold move, which maintains a high level of historical accuracy.

Instead of relying solely on violence and suspense, like Game of Thrones and Spartacus, “Barbarians” incorporates love intrigue which tones down the brutality resulting in a well-balanced series. Three characters fight for the survival of their people, but amid their bravery, the film shows they are still human in flesh and bound by their hearts.

Laurence Rupp, Jeanne Goursaud and David Schütter, who play Arminius, Thusnelda and Folkwin, give extraordinary performances even though their names do not even appear on English-language Wikipedia. They have great chemistry together, and together they convincingly bring an event from over 2,000 years ago to be watched by a modern audience.

With the first season having only six episodes about 45 minutes in length, it is easy to binge-watch it during the weekend. One problem here, however, is that the series is definitely not for those under 18, no matter how much they want to learn about this part of the history.

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