Spartacus(102 av. J.-C. — 70 av. J.-C.)
Spartacus
9 min read
A gladiator of Thracian origin, Spartacus led the Third Servile War against Rome (73–71 BC), commanding an army of rebel slaves that threatened the very existence of the Roman Republic before being defeated by Crassus.
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Around 100 BC: born in Thrace (present-day Bulgaria), enslaved
- 73 BC: escaped from the gladiatorial school at Capua with 70 companions
- 72 BC: the slave army reached between 70,000 and 120,000 men and marched across all of Italy
- 71 BC: defeated and killed in battle against the legions of Crassus in Lucania
- 71 BC: 6,000 slaves crucified along the Appian Way by Crassus
Works & Achievements
The largest slave revolt in Roman history, waged for nearly two years across the Italian peninsula. According to some sources, the rebel army numbered as many as 120,000 fighters and inflicted crushing defeats on the legions of the Republic.
Spartacus structured his forces along the lines of a true Roman army: disciplined infantry, cavalry, and field forges to manufacture weapons. This organizational achievement — accomplished mostly by men with no prior military training — drew the admiration of ancient historians.
Spartacus defeated in succession the armies of both sitting consuls, Lentulus and Gellius — a remarkable feat that forced the Senate to grant Crassus full powers in order to save the Republic.
Spartacus imposed an unprecedented system in his camp: equal division of plunder and a ban on hoarding gold and silver by commanders. This rudimentary form of equality among fighters is highlighted by Plutarch as a sign of remarkable political wisdom.
Anecdotes
In 73 BC, Spartacus escaped from the gladiatorial school at Capua with around sixty companions armed with kitchen utensils stolen from the ludus stores. This modest beginning is remarkable: men in chains and poorly armed managed to rout the guards and reach the slopes of Vesuvius, where thousands of fugitive slaves quickly came to join them.
During the siege of Vesuvius by the praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber, Spartacus had ropes braided from wild vines growing on the volcano's slopes. His men rappelled down the steep cliffs and took the Romans completely by surprise from the rear, routing an entire army — a tactical masterstroke that revealed the extraordinary military gifts of the Thracian leader.
Spartacus imposed a discipline and fairness within his army that were unusual for the time: according to Plutarch, he forbade his lieutenants from keeping gold or silver and ensured that the spoils were shared equally among all fighters. This practice, which stood in stark contrast to Roman customs, earned him fierce loyalty from his troops.
Spartacus's wife, a Thracian prophetess whose name has not come down to us, had been with him since Capua. She reportedly predicted from the moment of his capture that a destiny both glorious and tragic awaited him — a prophecy that Plutarch records as having been fully fulfilled by the rebel leader's meteoric rise and death in battle.
After the final defeat in 71 BC, Crassus had six thousand captured slaves crucified along the entire length of the Via Appia, from Capua to Rome. This collective and spectacular punishment was intended to deter any future slave revolt; the bodies, left on crosses without burial, reminded every traveler of the fate reserved for slaves who dared to rebel.
Primary Sources
Spartacus, a Thracian of the Maedi tribe, was not only endowed with great strength and courage, but surpassed his condition through his intelligence and gentleness, and was more of the Greek than the Barbarian temper.
Spartacus sought to lead his army toward the Alps, judging that from there each man could return to his homeland — Gauls, Germans, and Thracians, each to his own native country.
Spartacus, Crixus, and Oenomaus, having escaped from the gladiatorial school of Lentulus at Capua with some seventy companions, ravaged Italy with such fury that one might regret that such valor had been that of a slave.
The fugitive gladiators, under the command of Spartacus, defeated the praetorian and consular armies on several occasions, forcing the Senate to resort to emergency measures to defend Italy.
The fugitive gladiators, led by Spartacus, first defeated the praetor Varinius Glaber, then the consular armies, and ravaged a large part of Italy for two years.
Key Places
City in Campania where the gladiatorial school of Lentulus Batiatus was located — the starting point of the revolt in 73 BC. Capua was at the time one of the foremost cities in Italy, renowned for its wealthy *ludi gladiatorii*.
The volcano on whose slopes Spartacus and his earliest companions took refuge after the escape. Rappelling down its cliffs to surprise the Roman army of Glaber was the revolt's first great tactical victory.
The southern tip of the Italian peninsula where Spartacus found himself trapped behind Crassus's wall in 71 BC. It was here that he attempted to cross to Sicily with the help of Cilician pirates who betrayed the agreement.
The narrow stretch of water separating Italy from Sicily that Spartacus sought to cross in order to rekindle the revolt on the island, which was rich in agricultural slaves. The betrayal by the Cilician pirates forced him to turn back northward.
The river in Lucania near which the final battle took place in 71 BC. Spartacus died fighting there after attempting to reach Crassus personally; his body was never formally identified.
The great paved Roman road linking Rome to Capua and Brindisi, along which Crassus erected 6,000 crosses after the final defeat. This corridor of death, visible for hundreds of kilometers, was meant to remind everyone of the fate awaiting rebellious slaves.
