Despite blockbuster hits like Ben-Hur (1959) and satires like A Funny Thing (1966) being very different movies, they are still technically in the same genre, called Toga movies. You may have heard of more mainstream and recent Toga films like Disney's Hercules, but the genre actually dates back to at least 1914, with the release of Italian movie Cabiria. While it is a rather melodramatic genre - which is why satires and spin-offs of these movies are so common - many filmmakers tend to sneak in allegories about current events, international/national politics, religion, sexuality, gender, race, etc., all through the lens of Ancient Rome (and Ancient Greece, but here we'll focus on Rome). Even though many of these movies are arguably outdated, modern history's influence on their portrayal of the ancient world. As you will see in the next few sections, Toga films can serve as a time capsule of sorts, encapsulating the ideals, trends, and politics of the time the movie was released.

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Spoiler warning for the next sections!