> I would have preferred if the author reasoned through why a filmmaker might make these decisions and/or offer feasible solutions.

He does that all the time. Usually at the end of the series. Like down to "you can't film these tactics because it would be unsafe to have people holding the weapons realistically".

But if you're not going to depict Rome, why call the setting Rome?

Not that the movie wouldn't have sucked set in the Galactic Empire or whatever.

"This is wrong" is very helpful to people who have been fooled by any of the numerous historical inaccuracies described in the OP.