In this scene we get introduced to the Roman Empire, and we can quickly see how big it is with the help of an extreme long shot. The high angle helps us see all the people and it sets a mood of power. We can see all the people working and we get an example of all the man power Rome had. In my opinion they did a great job in this scene because right from the beginning the audience gets a sense of how big and powerful the Roman Empire is.
This is indeed an grandiose establishing or extreme long shot. The taller figures in the front before the background of the long-stretched valley and the mountains in the distance look impressive. I wonder, though, why the director decided to illustrate the power of Rome by showing this rocky landscape. It looks as if Rome has neither grass nor trees. Why do we see mostly soldiers and only two civilians in the typically Roman toga? Why aren't there any women? And what are the large, rectangular piles that we see (one in the foreground, six smaller ones in a row in the distance and an even larger one behind them)? Why didn't the director choose to show us the hustle and bustle of downtown Rome with the Forum Romanum and the grandiose temples of the gods instead?
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