This game is positively amazing!
I was always curious about the Total War series, but never got around to playing any of them. I found the Rome: Total War anthology for a decent price, and snapped it up, and I most definitely do not regret it!
If you're fond of antiquity, and real-time strategy, but don't want the hassle of resource management, this is the game for you. Or, if that's not the case, and you like turn-based, Sid Meier's Civilization-style gameplay, this is also the game for you, as this is the way the campaign works (along with real-time battles!).
It also performs wonderfully on older machines, and manages to stay fresh and exciting 8 years after its release.