I have interest in a Roman-era RP (pending on whether or not I will be too stretched thin).  However, I don't know how everyone went from the [b]early[/b] empire (which was mentioned in option 3) to late antiquity?  Honestly, I would prefer something closer to the [b]early[/b] empire (or even the late Republic, since Rome by that time was practically an empire already.  Her 'emperors' were Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus, and Licinius Crassus).