How a historical drama series bends time to craft the Renaissance on screen

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The historical drama Medici brings the power struggles of 15th-century Florence to life, but it plays fast and loose with the timeline. By incorporating architecture and art created long after the events depicted, the show prioritizes a grand aesthetic vision over strict chronological accuracy for its viewers.

Created by Frank Spotnitz and Nicholas Meyer, the series Medici explores the rise of the House of Medici, the influential bankers of the Pope. The first season, titled Medici: Masters of Florence, premiered in 2016 and centers on the family patriarch Cosimo de' Medici in 1429. Subsequent seasons follow his grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent, navigating political conspiracies and the complex dynamics of Renaissance Italy. The show has achieved significant international reach, broadcasting in 190 countries and appearing on platforms like Netflix.

To capture the essence of the era, the production team utilized various historic Italian locations, including the Bracciano Castle and the Villa Farnese in Caprarola. However, the show frequently incorporates anachronisms to enhance its visual storytelling. For instance, while the narrative is set in the 1430s, viewers may spot the church of Santa Maria della Salute, which was not constructed until the 1630s. Similarly, the Medici Palazzo and specific frescoes featured in the show were completed decades or even centuries after the events they are meant to represent.

These creative liberties extend to the plot as well. The series frames the death of Giovanni de' Medici as a potential murder, a historical mystery that serves as a narrative hook for the first season. This blend of historical fact and dramatic speculation is central to the show's identity. By mixing real figures like Filippo Brunelleschi and Sandro Botticelli with fictionalized conflicts, the series aims to dramatize the cultural and political transformation of Florence, even if the timeline of its physical setting remains intentionally fluid.

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