Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome (ローマ帝国, Rōma Teikoku), also known as Grandpa Rome, Roma Antiqua, and Roman Empire, is a character in the series Hetalia: Axis Powers. He is the grandfather to both North Italy and South Italy.

Appearance


In his first appearance in the Chibitalia strips in the webcomic (later reprinted in volume 1 of the published manga), he is shown as an elderly man with a mustache, and is dressed in a white beret and robe.

In the prologue to the first volume and the first anime episode, a younger incarnation of him is shown, dressed in armor and a cape. He is deeply tanned, and both his hair and eyes are a dark brown. Like his grandsons, he has a wild curl in his hair, but two of them (one on the upper right side of his head, and one on the lower left side). In the earliest color illustration known to exist, he was depicted with green eyes.

He appears once in the story Together with Grandpa Rome to Germany as the younger incarnation, and is shown to have existed that way back in the BC days of Rome (with his older appearance presumably being how he looked in AD).

Personality And Interests
He was once the great ruler of the Mediterranean Sea and the strongest nation, though none of his grandchildren inherited his success. He is said to have fallen in love with both Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt at first sight, and that he overflows with excitement at the sight of a strong man.

He enjoys cute girls, art, music and food.

Germania
Main Article: Germania

An enemy of Rome, who was once his guard at some point in time, but soon became his enemy as their hatred ran deep to their bones. Germania was the one to deliver the killing blow to Rome, and died himself sometime after, though that period of time still remains hazy.

North Italy
Main Article: Italy

The heir apparent to Rome's fortune, the young Feliciano spent an indeterminate amount of time living and traveling with his grandfather until Rome eventually grew weak and vulnerable due to his empire crumbling.

Due to what happened to his grandfather, Italy refused to become a new Roman Empire. Though he didn't inherit Rome's success, he did get his natural talents for art and trade.

South Italy
Main Article: South Italy

The older of Rome's two known grandchildren, South Italy was overlooked and felt inferior, due to his brother inheriting their grandfather's talents (as well as apparently taking after Rome more in physical appearance).

In The Anime


Rome first appears in Episode 01, in both the prologue and the Chibitalia segment. While he was portrayed as an older man in the manga version of Chibitalia, he is shown younger and in his armor in the anime version.

In Episode 11, a brief flashback image is shown of a weak and scarred Rome as Chibitalia tells Holy Roman Empire of his demise. As with his earlier appearance in the anime version of the storyarc, he is depicted in his younger incarnation in that scene (rather than his older, mustached appearance).

An apparition of Rome appears in Episode 18, interrupting both of the Allied Forces' attacks on the Axis in order to perform a song about nations' roles in "heaven and hell" on Earth. His sudden appearances cause the Allied Forces to retreat in fear each time, though Italy is able to recognize the mysterious ghost as having been his grandfather. This is Rome's first speaking role.

In the anime, Rome's skintone is much lighter and his eyes were changed to an amber color.