As the fierce and powerful but impulsive Roman soldier Titus Pullo of the acclaimed HBO series “Rome,” (2005 - ), the ruggedly built actor Ray Stevenson embodied the very essence of the rough and decadent life and times.

Born in Northern Ireland, the son of an air force pilot, Stevenson grew up in England. As a child, he developed an interest in acting when going to Saturday morning matinees. But his focus remained elsewhere, and after college he initially pursued a career as an engineer. It wasn’t until seeing a performance by John Malkovich in the play, “Burn This” at a West End theater