Barbarians tells the fall of the Roman Empire in 410 A.D., and it does so with a cast of thousands and a budget that shows. The series, based on real events, follows the Visigoths led by Alaric (Oscar Pedroso) as they sack Rome. It is loud, violent, and occasionally brilliant.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Fall of Rome
The first episode opens with the city at its height. The emperor Honorius (Giuseppe Bonsignore) rules from Ravenna, far from the danger. The Senate and the people of Rome believe the legions will save them. They are wrong.
The show moves between three perspectives: the Visigoths outside the walls, the Romans inside, and the soldiers caught between. This structure works better than it has any right to. The pacing is fast, and the series trusts the audience to keep up across multiple threads.
Alaric and the Visigoths
Pedroso plays Alaric as a man of few words and more resolve. He is not a monster, nor a hero. He is a leader who has lost everything and now wants vengeance. The scenes between him and his wife, Gudila (Yara Sarrallack), carry some of the strongest emotional weight in the series.
The supporting cast fills out the world around him. The Roman general Flavius Stilicho (Luca Argentero) is a schemer, and the young soldier Quintus (Federico Pedersoli) watches the empire collapse from within.
The Sacking of Rome
The final episodes build toward the siege and the sack itself. The series does not hold back on the violence. Blood, fire, and chaos fill the screen.
It is also here that the show stumbles. The action sometimes overwhelms the character work. Battles blend together, and the human stakes get lost in the spectacle.
“We are barbarians, and we will take what we want.”
That line, spoken by Alaric, sums up the whole series. It is simple, brutal, and effective.
Comparing the Threads
| Thread | Focus | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaric & Visigoths | Siege strategy | Character depth | Action overload |
| Quintus & Roman soldiers | Ground-level horror | Tension | Thin development |
| Honorius & Ravenna | Political intrigue | Scale | Shallow characters |
Where It Falls Short
The series is uneven. Some episodes feel like a documentary, while others read like a video game trailer. The middle stretch drags in places, and the resolution feels rushed.
The historical basis is strong, but the storytelling leans heavily on spectacle. That is a deliberate choice, and it mostly pays off.
Final Word
Barbarians is a solid, ambitious period drama that occasionally loses itself in its own grandeur. The performances are strong, the production values are high, and the subject matter is compelling. It is not perfect, but it is worth watching.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
