Ancient Rome is our Roman Empire—from Ancient Roman films to fonts and color palettes

Roman epics are back! If you’re excited about the launch of Gladiator 2 and Megalopolis, join us in a journey through the styles and color palettes of classics like Ben Hur (1959), Cleopatra (1963), and Gladiator (2000).

In the same way that truly memorable epics have both incredible environments and emotionally connected characters, truly memorable designs can pull inspiration from the ancient Roman style and connect with target audiences.

From Ancient Roman films to fonts and color palettes, dive in to explore the best Roman fonts, color palettes, and stylistic elements in ancient Roman films to inspire your next project!

Want to emulate the epic aesthetic of the ancient Roman Empire in your projects? Find color palettes and design inspiration to make your projects stand out. 

Possibly the greatest ancient Roman historical film created, Ben Hur (1959), directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston, paved the way for other epics such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). It cemented the lavish spectacle seen in epics as a key part of the cinematic grandeur of historical storytelling. 

The extreme wide-angle shots were a major innovation at the time and soon became a core part of heroic, journey-based epics. The mix of close-ups and wide-angle shots balanced the splendor of ancient Rome with a deeper, authentic connection to the characters that had often been missing from epics until this time.

The story follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince forced into Roman slavery, who becomes a chariot-racing champion and swears revenge. Key colors and elements in the film are white, gold, red, magenta, horses, and armor. 

Filmed in Super Technirama 70, Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus (1960) touted enhanced clarity and incredible sound, launching it into the top-tier epics of the period. Another tale where the characters are as developed as the epic itself, Spartacus won six Oscars, including Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design.

The pastel color palette with a splash of blood red is reflected in the costumes and the divide between nobility and the rest. The bright red blood is almost comically vivid and is used to accent the violent mayhem typical of ancient Roman films. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the set of Spartacus, taking almost two years to make; each set is intricately detailed and the props specifically chosen.

The power of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s Cleopatra (1963) lies in the fashion iconography of the film and the leading actress, Elizabeth Taylor. One of the only ancient Roman films focused on a woman, Cleopatra stood out in more ways than one. Cleopatra, Cleopatra, and Elizabeth Taylor each have shaped part of fashion history, which can be seen in the film.

The subversive intentions of Cleopatra are mirrored by the fashion iconography and the dialogue in the film following certain themes: clothing as armor, clothing as an extension of her emotions, and clothing as a political tool. By shining a light on the power play of historical fashion, Cleopatra captured the attention of the general public and influenced popular culture. Her opulent choices throughout the film are a key part of the film’s style, along with pastel pinks, kohl eyeliner, Greek or Roman font styles, and Roman patterns.

Uproariously amusing, Monty Python’s Life of Brian is considered blasphemous by some religious groups and was banned in a few countries, including Ireland and Norway. The story is set in ancient Roman times and follows Brian, a young man born on the same day and next door to Jesus, who is mistaken for the Messiah. The film is packed with traditional ancient Roman scenes: sunrise over the desert accompanied by shadowy silhouettes of people on long journeys, a Roman colosseum painted with blood, and rows of crucified people.

As a satire through and through, each scene is exaggerated, making fun of the rules of epics, or seemingly completely random, including a scene with aliens. This faux epic uses slapstick to its advantage through the dialogue, costumes, and music, and it showcases Roman numeral fonts, feather head dresses, and Roman costumes.

The revival of the historical epic is due in part to Gladiator. Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000) follows the trope of an ancient Roman epic with a former Roman General vowing revenge against the emperor who killed his family and sent him into slavery. The general, played by Russell Crowe, becomes a gladiator whose popularity threatens the throne. A tale of loss, triumph, and acceptance, this modern rendition has become a classic.

Throughout the film, there are nods to traditional epic shots: the desert, the Colosseum, and an expanse of Roman troops. Combined with the specifics of the storyline, Gladiator can focus on subtleties such as blood that turns into rose petals, Roman patterns, and selective color. Red plays an important part in this film; with cooler colors gone, the warmer tones pop, and red is accentuated.

Gladiator 2 (2024) may follow a similar aesthetic. 

A combination of ancient Roman historical film and a classic disaster movie, Paul W. S. Anderson’s Pompeii (2014) shares the story of a former slave, now gladiator, who rushes to save his love as Mount Vesuvius erupts. The movie overflows with tropes from both genres, including bustling markets, colosseum shots, and burning buildings.

The color usage is different than most ancient Roman films, trending towards a cooler, bluer tone until the explosive end where the colors shift to warmer, washed-out tones similar to Gladiator. Elements inspired by the film include Roman numeral fonts, armor, ships, and volcanic debris. 

Released this past September, Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, Megalopolis (2024), has confused, let down, and delighted the audience.

A blend of science fiction film and ancient Roman epic aesthetics, Megalopolis is set in New Rome and follows Cesar, an artist, who tries to change the city into a utopia, and the opposing mayor, Cicero, who wants to preserve the status quo.

The contrast between the sci-fi and Ancient Rome genres pulls their political similarities to the surface: the cyclical societal problems we have seen in ancient Roman epics and in our world today. The combination of washed-out warm tones reminiscent of Gladiator and red-turquoise dichromatic color palette found in sci-fi films reinforces the feeling of history repeating itself.

With films such as Gladiator 2 (2024) and Megalopolis (2024) coming out this year along with the release of the Civilization VII video game, the draw of the ancient Roman epic has proved its endurance into modern times. Get the powerful, influential style using elements from classic ancient Roman films with Envato today.

For more movie inspiration, discover What is Realism in Film, TV, and Video? and 20 Best Film Grain Video Overlays (Free & Premium for 2024).