Rome Total War (2004)
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Audio Director | Composer | Post-Production
I was inspired by Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for the movie Gladiator. I hired the guitar expertise of Saki Kaskas on guitar and mandolin and my wife Angela on vocals.
One of the more popular songs on the soundtrack is Divinitus. Angela wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music. Here are the lyrics…
Hellatorius Victorialis (warlike; victory)
Erastus Necessitas (lovers; death)
Honararius despondeo (honour; despair)
Spiritus Obdormio (life; death)
Patriota Gladiator (country; warrior)
Afflictio Ommento (pain; waiting)
Divinitus Salutaris (heaven; salvation)
Furtivus Libertas (furtive love; freedom)
‘Forever’ should have won awards. It should have had radio play.
Oh well, it was still inspiring for those of us that heard it.
Music of RTW is what made the game, period. There were similar games at that time, some maybe even better graphically, ran better, but the music gave the game a soul and I bet it was very hard to produce the music, but it was worth it.
Simply incredible work. My friends and I blast Divinitus anytime we are playing, well, anything! It is simply an amazing song and some how fits every situation!
Jeff, I really appreciate and adore all the music you make. For me, as for most of your fans, the best music is from RTW 2004 of course. If you see this comment, please add OSTs to Apple Music. I really want to listen to your music every day there. And I think many people will support me in this idea.
Thanks
Reason I dont play Rome TW2: No Jeff.
I really wish we could listen to this amazing soundtrack on Spotify…
I for one would not mind purchasing the music . I always tell my husband to play the game so I can hear the songs so it would be a honor to purchase the songs. I love them and they are very relaxing.
Hey Jeff, could you tell me where the hymn used in “Lost Souls” comes from? I’ve seen that same hymn used all over the place, such as the song “Negligence” from the movie Crash, “Arthur’s Final Battle” from Merlin, and “Close Your Eyes” from Monster, but all the searching I’ve done has turned up dirt. Any help would be appreciated, and keep up the good work!
You are quite talented and a visionary on modern sound of antique dead pasts. Thank you for such marvelous sound…
Hello jeff
im from iran just wanted to say that your song and your wife’s lyrics on “forever” made a wonderful time and memory between me and my wife when I’m going to safeguarding my country’s borders, all your efforts from there reached here and im grateful.
you don’t know amazing is when she play this song when im leaving and on farewell moment …
Mr van Dyck, this is a silly question, isn’t it? I’ve been searching all over the internet trying to find the answer yet nobody (including me until now) appears to have cared to ask you? Either that or it’s incredibly hard to find! So my question is, can you please post the Latin lyrics of one of your most epic songs of all time? The one I’m talking about is ‘Soldier’s Chant’ from RTW (or “as seen on TV” on the History Channel, Time Commanders etc). English translation isn’t really required, just the exact Latin chanted on Soldier’s Chant, thanks. I loved the way Jesper Kyd used Latin lyrics on his iconic Hitman and Assassin’s Creed soundtracks as well; you are both our favourite composers.
That song is in a made up language, but I can tell you they are singing about how they’re about how they’re about to kick ass 🙂
Haha, brilliant! I see… so THAT was the reason you elevated the horns/percussion mixer levels above the chanting soldiers? To make it intentionally obscure to decypher the words? Genius! And you know what; that’s not too different from what HBO’s version of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones did years later developing his fake spoken Dothraki language, so well played either way, ha! Thanks for answering and making my day Jeff! Faith in humanity restored! 🙂
Just curious, what were the words you asked the vocalists to sing when recording Soldier’s Chant? The words don’t have to actually *mean* anything, I just wanted to sing along 🙂
It’s more or less gibberish, although my intent was something along the lines of “We’re on our way, to kick some ass…” but in faux latin.
Hahah, got it. I don’t suppose you remember what the gibberish words were?
Heya, Jeff! Just bought thr Rome: Total War Soundtrack along with some games on a bundle, and I just wanted to say that you should probably put it up for sale/digital download somewhere. I tried to find Rome’s complete OST everywhere on the web and only found a few dead links and sold out listings on Amazon. Loved the Emperor: RotMK soundtrack too, it wouldn’t have been half as good without your music.
iTunes please
Just had to say the “Forever” track is collosal! I do not play RTS games, but I am very happy that I fould this wonderful track. It really punches right on the level of Zimmer’s Gladiator soundtrack.
For me music in games is almost always as valuable as the rest of the game and most of my favourite games had incredible soundtracks as well. I just recently bought Need For Speed 2 primarily because of the music in the game. I felt bad that 2 of my most listened tracks in the car are NFS2 MainMenu and NFS2 Showcase. NFS2 like music was some of the best game music of all times. Too bad it is considered old-shool today. Perhaps in a few years it will be fashinable again. But I am not complaining when games have soundtracks like Total War instead 🙂
Big thank you for making downloads available for all of these tracks that are not sold anywhere!
Like said before in earlier comments, it is a shame that you can’t download it somewhere. Like in iTunes or so. Of all the Total War games, this is the one with the greatest soundtrack in my opinion.
This is probably one of my favorite games. But I know for a fact that it was my favorite soundtrack; and after looking at this list of songs I can see that I have you to thank for that. These songs actually get stuck in my head when I haven’t even played the game in months. Damn fine work
Thanks Jeff for providing this site to listen to your awesome music
You and Hanszimmer are Epic indeed. I can darely say you 2 dont have any examples and equals.
So much shame and dissapointed your not in Rome2 or Atilla.
Thats why people didnt like the game. Because does not have music!!
I beg you, we all beg you participate in next total wars after Atilla. Or we will not buy the total wars anymore.
My great Thanks and respects from Occupied Kurdistan to you dear Jeff!
It’s not up to me if I work on them or not. I thought Kingdoms was going to be the last thing I did for them, but then came Shogun 2. You never know I guess. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been occupied. All the best.
Thanks, jeff, for making the most memorable soundtrack ever!
Whenever I think of RTW i think: Bellatorius victorialis.
@Pottstick, someone made a mod for that within a steam workshop, its a must have for me, since this soundtrack is so much better than the new one in rome 2.
I think you are my Hero.
I wish I could email you and know you.
Alex
Italy
I wish there were a way to import this soundtrack into Rome II, it would be so much more epic.
I love your music. You gave Rome 1 it´s soul!!! Rome 2 is not the same fun without you.
jeff, we know you are master of soundtracks, but could you tell me how can I find lyric of soldier chant.
thank you again for your all masterpieces
I don’t know why, but I really feel that you were inspired by Hans Zimmer’s sountracks from Gladiator 😉 Even a little bit! They sound quite familiar! Not the same, but the instruments used and some other elements are the same! You, as Hans Zimmer, reproduced perfectly the atmosphere and traditional music from Rome’s antiquity! Well done, nice job;)
Jeff, I just wanted to say hello and hope you are well! I was so disappointed when I discovered you didn’t do the Rome II score… what a shame… besides, the new music didn’t have any soul or feeling for me. Nowhere near as good as yours. So… I made a playlist of your original score music from my Rome Total War game and now have it playing in Rome II! Jeff, it’s so much better and feels right again! BTW, with Rome on everyone’s minds now, would you consider perhaps releasing a new album or maybe a couple of tracks based on your Rome I inspired music? It was so epic, varied and actually better than Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator for me. I’d buy it! What do you think? Any Rome inspired tracks in the pipeline we haven’t heard yet? Thanks and take care mate.
How about the rock cover version of the music will be out in October time or something.
truly amazing.commendable work. love the tracks. got a grip and thrust to it. great game.awesome work!
Anubhav
Lose1-Lost_Souls.mp3 when clicked leads to a page not found error
Fixed. Thanks for pointing that out.
I realy loved your (and Angela’s) work, move me every time, when i hear the theme song. Keep up the good work!
Mark
I agree with other comments that this should be available as a CD or iTunes download. In my opinion this is every bit as good as Hans Zimmer’s Gladiator Soundtrack CD. I especially love the powerful rhythms that come through a lot of the tracks. You just have to listen to this played through quality speakers / headphones at a decent volume to get the full impact of how awesome the Rome Total War music really is.
Jeff – What a talent, keep up the good work.
John
I have not found anything quite as satisfying when playing RTW and the songs fits perfectly into what i am doing, my favourites are (in battles) “Imperial Conflict” (Can’t see it here) and “Soldiers Chant”. My favourite song that is not in a battle, is, by no doubt “Forever” which is too beautiful to describe, and the voice of your wife is too beautiful to be described in words, or actions for that matter.
In short; You’re Awesome.
Rome Total War has to have one of my favorite music scores ever. Forever is one of my top ten game songs.
Whats the name of the song that plays over the opening intro? Not the one where it gets all fast, but the part where it’s slow and dramatic?
I believe I used sections of “Journey to Rome”.
I’am so exiting for the music of Rome Total war “Forever”. How could I get the tabs or gtp for play this on my guitar? Please,help!
I want to say that you are officially my favourite composer, even better than John Williams. I’ve been playing these games for years and always loved the music, but only recently realized the true level of genius in the soundtrack. You rock!
amazing work of art! only wish i could find it online or even itunes, but hey, keep up the amazing work, especially with the Total War ganes 🙂
The best soundtrack ever. Engaging melodies and rhythms. Thank you Jeff for this masterpiece. Why there is not on itunes?
This is amazing, definetly the best soundtrack of a game ever created, and i have played many games 😛
Exactly. Their soundtrack is just simply sensational. Truly awesome!
I fully agree with matt, the Rome soundtrack was and is incredible, and I’d gladly pay for it if I could find it somewhere. I already bought the Shogun II soundtrack off iTunes, it would be cool if more of your work ended up there perhaps.
Keep creating fantastic music Jeff.
I like Divinitus but the pronuciation of Gladiator is not “glaediator” because Latin has vowel “a” and “ae” perspectively.
you rock Jeff. I would love to see some of those soundtracks for sale in cd form. i burned Rome Total War because that was my only choice. I wouldn’t mind paying if there was an option.