TRIBE: Thracian REGION: Bulgaria ROMANS KILLED: Over SPARTACUS 30,000

In an act of revenge, Spartacus’ army captured wealthy Romans, constructed a makeshift arena, and forced them to fight each other.

Spartacus became so popular that even Roman soldiers wanted to defect and join his army. The rebel leader refused, fearing that they might be hired assassins sent to kill him.

A Slave’s Revenge

Born in Thrace (modern and moved to an elite Roman consul, Gaius

Eastern Europe) around training camp in Capua, Claudius Galber, hastily 109BC, little is known Italy. Conditions for dispatched a force to deal about the early life of gladiators were never with them, trapping them on Spartacus, who would rise good, but Capua was Mount Vesuvius. But the to lead a slave revolt that particularly brutal. Those Romans were overconfident, rocked the Roman who survived the arena unaware of Spartacus’ Republic to its core. were harassed and abused tactical genius. By by the guards. Spartacus descending Vesuvius on Sources say that while conspired with seventy of rope vines, the rebels serving as an auxiliary in his fellow gladiators – managed to ambush and the Roman army, he including Crixus of Gaul – to destroy the Roman camp. deserted, was captured, escape. then enslaved. Because of his enormous physical At first, the Republic Unshaven and hard as nails, strength, he was chosen treated the escape as a this multi-ethnic rabble starts out half-naked and dis- to become a gladiator, smaller police matter. The organized, but soon morphs into a supreme fighting force.

Slaves from the army turned back. Those trained and disciplined surrounding countryside who had once been Roman armies. In deserted their farms to join forced to kill for desperation, he sought

Spartacus and the slave entertainment were now a decisive confrontation army grew spectacularly. intent on revenge. with Crassus. They overran a Roman The Republic now seriously Most of the rebels fell in legion and headed north feared the destabilizing the fight, but the 6,000 to the Alps – the way effect of the growing slave survivors suffered a home for many of the uprising and began to worse fate. They were slaves – raiding and respond in full force. Eight crucified along the plundering en route. Its legions (upward of 32,000 Appian Way to Rome, a likely Spartacus’s final army men) were assembled terrible warning to amounted to 40,000. under the command of anyone else who might Spartacus now met the Marcus Licinius Crassus. Two dare defy Rome’s Cisalpine Roman army, great generals, Pompey power. guarding the passes to and Lucullus, were recalled Spartacus was wounded Gaul. Having decisively from far-flung provinces to in battle, but his body defeated it, the way out of support Crassus. Spartacus was never found. He Italy lay open, but and his amateur army now was 38 years old. instead…Spartacus and his stood against three highly

About the Actor

Ben Batt The Go-Between (BBC), The Village (BBC), Shameless (Channel 4)