I've never read his Roman plays (except "Titus Andronicus") nor any of his histories, not sure why. But reading them, you see what several reviewers I've read have been pointing out, that Rome is as much based upon historical record as on "Julius Caesar". Like Jane Espenson (http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000281.php) said, "Shakespeare got there first" and he's so much a part of our culture's consciousness it's pointless to try to ignore it.