Spartacus and the Slave War 73-71 BC: A gladiator rebels against Rome

Italy in 73 BC saw a slave-society's worst nightmare - a slave insurrection. Gladiators, led by the Thracian Spartacus, broke out of a gladiatorial training school and formed an army, made up of runaway slaves and others with little to lose. With some 70,000 men, Spartacus rampaged throughout Campania, assaulting the prosperous cities of Cumae, Nola, and Nuceria, and defeating two consular armies. Spartacus now posed a grave threat to Rome, and M. Licinius Crassus was given the job of destroying him. In a major battle near the source of the river Silarus, Spartacus was defeated and slain, and his army was crushed. As a warning to others, Crassus crucified 6,000 prisoners along the road from Capua - where the revolt had begun - to the very gates of Rome.

In the year 73 BC, the Thracian Spartacus broke out of the gladiatorial training school at Capua in Campainia. A charismatic leader, Spartacus formed an army of runaway slaves and people with little to lose, and defeated the Roman troops under the praetor C. Claudius Glaber. With this minor victory, Spartacus' army swelled to 70,000 and rampaged throughout Campania assaulting a number of cities and defeating two consular armies.

Terrified lest the revolt spread across the republic, the government assigned M. Licinius Crassus the task of crushing the revolt. Crassus' first attempt to capture Spartacus failed, and the Roman senate called upon Pompey to help him. Together, they cornered Spartacus and brought him to battle near the source of the river Silarus. During the battle, Spartacus was killed and his army defeated. Crassus crucified 6,000 prisoners as an example to others who might think of revolt.

Written by Nic Fields and illustrated by Steven Noon, this campaign title brings to life the story of Rome's most famous revolt and the ex-gladiator who led it.

Dr. Nic Fields started his career as a biochemist before joining the Royal Marines. Having left the military, he went back to University and completed a BA and PhD in Ancient History at the University of Newcastle. He was Assistant Director at the British School at Athens, Greece, and then a lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh. Nic is now a freelance author and researcher based in south-west France.