The second sentence in the article reveals the extent of the author's knowledge of Roman history. The Roman Republic was nearing its end in 52 BC. The Roman Empire continued for another 500+ years, much longer if you include the Byzantine Empire as a continuation of Roman government with a different capital.
From what I could make out from the trailers I saw on cable, the time period is before Julius Ceasar was killed.
Details like that don't bother garbage-movie producers. Why deal with reality when depravity, sleaze and vicious sewage sells better? The go right for the lowest common level -- naked genetalia, adding the depravity of hard core pornography. They are no better than the sleazy, vicious porn industry that makes BILLIONS and thrives under the cover of "free speech," "art" and "adult entertainment."
We all know wrong when we see it.
The sad part is that they try to pass it off as "art" or "adult entertainment."
When you consider the fact that 52 BC was at the height of Julius Caesar's power, he had just been victorious in the Gallic wars, and since Caesar was essentially the first Roman emperor, 52 BC was actually the final days of the Roman "republic" as it emerged into an empire which controlled most of the known world.