All hail Caesar!

After only three episodes, HBO renewed "Rome" for a second season.

This was really a no-brainer for HBO, considering all the money it spent on production and marketing (over $100 million). Even if the numbers were poor, which they're not, the network would want to give it a second season to appeal to as many viewers as possible — and save face.

The ratings so far have been pretty good, but not "Sopranos"-level good. That's OK, though, as the viewing audience remains a bit more diluted than even a couple of years ago. And with "Desperate Housewives" dominating Sunday night viewing, HBO can't expect huge numbers anymore.

When talking to HBO about ratings, the network is always quick to point out that, unlike broadcast networks, they look at culmulative numbers -- viewers totaling up during an entire week, the when the episode is run 3 or 4 times. To just look at the Sunday premiere of a new episode, especially in the time where "Housewives" is so dominant, isn't particularly fair.

Are you watching? I've been enjoying it. I don't think it's in the realm of "Sopranos," "Deadwood" or "The Wire," but it's certainly compelling.

Here's the HBO official release:

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2005 - HBO has renewed its epic drama series ROME for a second season, it was announced today by Carolyn Strauss, president, HBO Entertainment. Production of the 12-episode second season will begin next March, with the debut set for 2007.

"Although the first season of ROME is just underway, we're affirming our support for this exciting and ambitious series by preparing for a second season now," noted Strauss. "I'm delighted that critics and subscribers share our enthusiasm for the show."

The initial episodes of ROME have inspired legions of critical praise. TV Guide hailed it as a "feast for the eyes" and a "ripping good story," as well as a "shamelessly enjoyable historical romp." USA Today called ROME "as extravagant, enticing and chaotic as Rome itself," adding, "you may never want to leave." The Washington Post described the series as "ravishing and wickedly shocking," and "a feast for the senses that includes generous portions of food for thought."

Chronicling the fall of a republic and the rise of an empire, the 12-episode first season of ROME kicked off Aug. 28 on HBO. New episodes debut Sundays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT); throughout the series run, the previous week's episode will air Sunday (8:00-9:00 p.m.), leading into the debut of that week's new episode.

A co-production between HBO and the BBC, the first season of ROME began shooting in Rome in March 2004, with production for the series based at Rome's Cinecittà Studios. Among the actors starring in the first season are Kevin McKidd ("Kingdom of Heaven") as Lucius Vorenus, Ray Stevenson ("King Arthur") as Titus Pullo, Ciarán Hinds ("Road to Perdition") as Gaius Julius Caesar, Kenneth Cranham ("Gangster No. 1") as Pompey Magnus, Polly Walker ("Patriot Games") as Atia of the Julii, James Purefoy ("Vanity Fair") as Mark Antony, Tobias Menzies ("Foyle's War") as Marcus Junius Brutus, Lindsay Duncan ("Under the Tuscan Sun") as Servilia of the Junii, Indira Varma ("Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love") as Niobe, Max Pirkis ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World") as Gaius Octavian and Kerry Condon ("Angela's Ashes") as Octavia of the Julii.