Mannix's book, with no foundational premise built around identity politics or systemic critiques. However, the season prominently features original characters Cala (Sara Martins), a Black Numidian trader, and her children Kwame (Moe Hashim), Aura (Kyshan Wilson), and Jula (Alicia Edogamhe), whose abduction into slavery and arena fights form a major recurring subplot that reviewers explicitly link to added layers of "racial politics" and imperialism.

Aura's arc includes becoming a female gladiator. Domitian (Jojo Macari) is depicted as openly homosexual with an explicit male slave lover Hermes (Alessandro Bedetti), including scenes of their toxic relationship, voyeuristic demands, betrayal, and brutal execution, elevating queerness as a highlighted trait of the scheming villain beyond sparse historical hints.