Erastes Fulmen
Encyclopedia
Erastes Fulmen is a fictional character
in the HBO
/BBC2 original television series Rome
, played by Irish
actor Lorcan Cranitch
. He is depicted as a ruthless businessman, who over the course of the first season becomes one of the leading figures in the Roman underworld.
, he has free rein to terrorize the population for his own gain. He is a brutal man who torments with intimidation and violence those who are less fortunate for his further gain.
, a Roman centurion returning from Caesar's
successful Gallic campaigns
, build a new business as a slave trader. Vorenus, weary of military life and lengthy separations from his family, had decided to use slaves he'd been awarded in the campaign to start a new business and thus leave military life. It is during a social event held to launch this new career Erastes first meets Vorenus. The two seem to get along well at first; Erastes even offers to aid Vorenus if the need should arise.
Unfortunately, Vorenus' ambitions as a slave trader are cut short when pestilence takes his allotted slaves and his life outside the military is threatened. Vorenus is thus compelled to take Erastes up on his offer of assistance & enlist his aid in arranging a meeting with a money lender. Erastes, sensing an opportunity for himself, cites problems with arranging such a meeting and instead offers Vorenus a job as a bodyguard
. Reluctantly, Vorenus agrees but ends up walking away from the position when, during a "collection" exercise, Vorenus is asked to kill a man whose indebtedness to Erastes is dubious. Erastes is enraged by this perceived "slight", which is compounded when Vorenus, now trying his hand at butcher
y, stops Erastes gangster from assaulting someone near his new shop. Erastes' man retreats when confronted by Vorenus and fellow former legionary Titus Pullo
. Erastes returns and publicly threatens to brutally kill the entire Vorenus clan if he does not receive a public and humiliating apology from Vorenus for the "disrespect" shown. Only the coincidental arrival of Caesar with a squad of lictors (ceremonial guards) prevents Erastes from carrying out the threat.
Pullo later enters Erastes' employ as a hired killer after a fight with Vorenus. Pullo is reckless in his killing and is caught and charged with the murders, refusing to disclose it was Erastes who hired him. Later it is revealed that Erastes was paid by Posca, slave of Caesar, to eliminate Caesar's political opponents. Through Posca, Caesar expresses his dissatisfaction that Erastes hiring ex-soldiers like Pullo to do such work.
Caesar is assassinated during the Ides of March
, thereby nullifying Vorenus' protection and presenting an opportunity for Erastes to get even. After Erastes arrives at Vorenus' home and finds Vorenus' children and Lyde unprotected as they prepare Niobe's body for her journey to the afterlife, Erastes abducts them all.
Erastes is killed when Pullo and Vorenus storm his lair, kill all his henchmen, and demand the whereabouts of the children. Erastes, knowing his death is sealed despite Pullo's attempt at bargaining for information, defiantly claims to have raped and killed them, with their bodies being irretrievably thrown in the Tiber. Vorenus, in a rage, takes immediate vengeance, slicing off Erastes' head in a single stroke.
The audience see Erastes' severed head as a prop, twice in the following month of plot time, and also see the missing family members being transported elsewhere in slavery.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
/BBC2 original television series Rome
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
, played by Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
actor Lorcan Cranitch
Lorcan Cranitch
Lorcan Cranitch is an Irish actor.Born in Dublin, Cranitch became involved in drama while a student, and moved to London where he entered RADA in 1980. His first major role on British television was as Tim Healy in the 1991 BBC drama series, Parnell and the Englishwoman...
. He is depicted as a ruthless businessman, who over the course of the first season becomes one of the leading figures in the Roman underworld.
Personality
While wearing the façade of a businessman, Fulmen in fact oversees an organized group of thieves, assassins, and thugs. Due to the lack of an organized police force in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, he has free rein to terrorize the population for his own gain. He is a brutal man who torments with intimidation and violence those who are less fortunate for his further gain.
Fictional character biography
Erastes is introduced as a businessman who tries to help Lucius VorenusLucius Vorenus (character of Rome)
Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
, a Roman centurion returning from Caesar's
Gaius Julius Caesar (character of Rome)
Gaius Julius Caesar is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actor Ciarán Hinds...
successful Gallic campaigns
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
, build a new business as a slave trader. Vorenus, weary of military life and lengthy separations from his family, had decided to use slaves he'd been awarded in the campaign to start a new business and thus leave military life. It is during a social event held to launch this new career Erastes first meets Vorenus. The two seem to get along well at first; Erastes even offers to aid Vorenus if the need should arise.
Unfortunately, Vorenus' ambitions as a slave trader are cut short when pestilence takes his allotted slaves and his life outside the military is threatened. Vorenus is thus compelled to take Erastes up on his offer of assistance & enlist his aid in arranging a meeting with a money lender. Erastes, sensing an opportunity for himself, cites problems with arranging such a meeting and instead offers Vorenus a job as a bodyguard
Bodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
. Reluctantly, Vorenus agrees but ends up walking away from the position when, during a "collection" exercise, Vorenus is asked to kill a man whose indebtedness to Erastes is dubious. Erastes is enraged by this perceived "slight", which is compounded when Vorenus, now trying his hand at butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
y, stops Erastes gangster from assaulting someone near his new shop. Erastes' man retreats when confronted by Vorenus and fellow former legionary Titus Pullo
Titus Pullo (character of Rome)
Titus Pullo is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Ray Stevenson. He is depicted as a hedonistic, devil-may-care soldier who discovers hidden ideals and integrity within himself...
. Erastes returns and publicly threatens to brutally kill the entire Vorenus clan if he does not receive a public and humiliating apology from Vorenus for the "disrespect" shown. Only the coincidental arrival of Caesar with a squad of lictors (ceremonial guards) prevents Erastes from carrying out the threat.
Pullo later enters Erastes' employ as a hired killer after a fight with Vorenus. Pullo is reckless in his killing and is caught and charged with the murders, refusing to disclose it was Erastes who hired him. Later it is revealed that Erastes was paid by Posca, slave of Caesar, to eliminate Caesar's political opponents. Through Posca, Caesar expresses his dissatisfaction that Erastes hiring ex-soldiers like Pullo to do such work.
Caesar is assassinated during the Ides of March
Ides of March
The Ides of March is the name of the 15th day of March in the Roman calendar, probably referring to the day of the full moon. The word Ides comes from the Latin word "Idus" and means "half division" especially in relation to a month. It is a word that was used widely in the Roman calendar...
, thereby nullifying Vorenus' protection and presenting an opportunity for Erastes to get even. After Erastes arrives at Vorenus' home and finds Vorenus' children and Lyde unprotected as they prepare Niobe's body for her journey to the afterlife, Erastes abducts them all.
Erastes is killed when Pullo and Vorenus storm his lair, kill all his henchmen, and demand the whereabouts of the children. Erastes, knowing his death is sealed despite Pullo's attempt at bargaining for information, defiantly claims to have raped and killed them, with their bodies being irretrievably thrown in the Tiber. Vorenus, in a rage, takes immediate vengeance, slicing off Erastes' head in a single stroke.
The audience see Erastes' severed head as a prop, twice in the following month of plot time, and also see the missing family members being transported elsewhere in slavery.