Spartacus and the Slave Revolt
Presented by William Markham Roman Society in the late Republic
Slave owning society
Rule by Consuls
Reverence for ancestors
Conquest of Hellenistic world brought Luxuries
Army recruited from Roman citizens and allies Roman Religion
Pre Christian Era therefore Pagan
Many Gods, home grown and adopted
At this stage, mainly borrowed from the Greeks
Zeus = Jupiter
Aphodite = Venus
Posiedon = Neptune
Athena = Roma
Sacrifices to the Gods Turbulent times before Spartacus
104 BC Wars of Marius against Teutons and Cimbri
100 BC Sicilian Slave revolt suppressed
Marius 90 BC Social War – Marius and Sulla defeat Italians
87 BC Subjugation of Greece and sack of Athens – Sulla
80 BC Wars in the East by Lucullus against Mithrdates of Pontus
Sulla
Early life of Spartacus/Prelude to war
Born in Thrace (modern Bulgaria) in 109 BC
May have had some military experience – Roman Army
Captured, made a slave, trained as a Gladiator in Capua, Italy
73 BC Escapes and sets up camp on Mount Vesuvius
Slaves join Spartacus to form an army
Thracians under Spartacus and Gauls under Crixus THIRD SERVILE WAR 73 to 71 BC
Elite Roman troops in Spain and Asia Minor
Roman force under Glaber defeated by Spartacus
More victories – Spartacus army now 70,000
Wanted to cross the Alps – followers refused
Ravage Southern Italy, incl Nuceria & Metapontum
Slaves move Northward – 2 Roman Armies defeated THIRD SERVILE WAR continued
Roman Senate alarmed by defeats
Marcus Licinius Crassus appointed to conduct war – 8 legions
Crassus instils discipline and uses “decimation” to punish troops
Spartacus hemmed in Southern Italy
Spartacus consults with Pirates for passage to Sicily – betrayed Map of Final Campaigns Death of Spartacus and aftermath
71 BC defeated by Crassus
Spartacus body was never found after the battle
6,000 captured slaves crucified from Capua to Rome
No serious slave uprising again in Roman times
Slavery ended 2,000 years later About Gladiators
“Gladiator” from the latin word for sword – Gladius
Introduced to the Romans by Etruscans
Early Republic – Gladiators matched pairs at funerals
Became a form of entertainment
Gladiators could be prisoners of war, freemen, slaves and criminals
Gladiators freed after winning many fights – wooden sword Gladiators – different types
Retiarius Samnite Secutor Gladiators – different types - continued
Thracian Bestarius Hoplomachus Gladiator Mosaics – Empire Period Gladiator Mosaics – continued Gladiator Mosaics – continued Arenas of the Games Ancient Sources
Appian, The Civil Wars
Plutarch, The Fall of the Roman Republic
Sullust, Conspiracy of Catiline and the War of Jugurtha Spartacus on Film
Spartacus with Kirk Douglas, 1960 The television series Spartacus with Andy Whitfield 2010 to 2013 Gladiatorial bouts in film
Thracian Gladiators worn helmets
Referee in the arena Aims of Spartacus
The film portrays Spartacus and the rebelling slaves as ancient freedom fighters,
Struggling to change a corrupt Roman society and end institution of slavery.
No historical account mentions the goal of the rebel slaves was to end slavery in the Republic,
Nor do any of the actions of rebel leaders, who themselves committed numerous atrocities, seem specifically aimed at ending slavery,
All he wanted to do was probably escape Roman rule to be free in another country. Questions or Comments?