Spartacus - Ancient depictions of Spartacus, Modern depictions of Spartacus, Honours

Thracian-born slave and gladiator at Capua, who led the most serious slave uprising in the history of Rome (73–71 BC). With a huge army of slaves and dispossessed, he inflicted numerous defeats on the Roman armies sent against him, until defeated and killed by Crassus. His supporters were crucified wholesale, their bodies left hanging along the Appian Way to act as a deterrent to other would-be rebels.

70 BC, at the end of the Third Servile War), according to Roman historians, was a gladiator-slave who became the alleged leader of an unsuccessful slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the Third Servile War, and the historical accounts of the war that have survived into modern times are sketchy and often contradictory. The figure of Spartacus, and his rebellion, have become an inspiration to many modern literary and political writers, who have made the character of Spartacus an ancient/modern folk hero.

Ancient depictions of Spartacus

Spartacus' origins

Many sources claim that Spartacus was a Thracian, from the Rhodope mountain region of what is today Bulgaria, enslaved either when he was captured fighting against Rome or after being outlawed for mutinying or deserting from the Roman auxiliary forces in Macedonia. While the Roman army was indeed campaigning in Thrace and Macedonia at the age Spartacus was likely to have been enslaved, Roman gladiators at that time were always one of two types: Gauls and Thracians. One did not actually have to be a Gaul or Thracian in order to be trained in one of the two schools of gladiatorial style, so Spartacus may have later become known as "Thracian" simply because he was trained in the Thracian gladiator style. The Greek historian Plutarch described Spartacus as "intelligent and cultured, being more like a Greek than a Thracian". Spartacus means "from the city of Sparta" in Latin.

The Third Servile War

The Capuan revolt

Whatever his origins, we know that Spartacus was trained at the gladiatorial school near Capua, belonging to Lentulus Batiatus. In 73 BC, Spartacus and some seventy followers escaped from the gladiator ludo of Lentulus Batiatus. The group overran the region, plundering and pillaging, although Spartacus apparently tried to restrain them. They besieged the rebels on Vesuvius, but Spartacus led his men down the other side of the mountain using vines, maneuvered to the rear of the Roman soldiers, and staged a surprise attack on them.

Military success continues

Spartacus' forces defeated two more Roman legions sent to crush them before settling down to spend the winter on the south coast, manufacturing weapons. The Gauls and Germanic peoples, who had separated themselves from Spartacus, were defeated by Publicola, and Crixus was killed. Spartacus defeated Lentulus, and then Publicola. At Picenum in central Italy, Spartacus defeated the consular armies, then pushed north and at Mutina (modern-day Modena) they defeated yet another legion under Gaius Cassius Longinus, the Governor of Cisalpine Gaul ("Gaul this side of the Alps").

Choice to remain in Italy

Spartacus had apparently intended to march his army out of Italy and into Gaul (modern-day Belgium, Switzerland and France) or maybe even to Hispania to join the rebellion of Quintus Sertorius.

The rest marched back south, and defeated two more legions under Marcus Licinius Crassus, who at that time was the wealthiest man in Rome. At the end of 72 BC, Spartacus was encamped in Rhegium (Reggio Calabria), near the Strait of Messina (the "tip of the Italian boot"). In the beginning of 71 BC, eight legions of Crassus isolated Spartacus's army in Calabria.

Spartacus managed to break through Crassus's lines, and escaped towards Brundisium (modern-day Brindisi), but Crassus's forces intercepted them in Lucania, and the slaves were routed in a subsequent battle at the river Silarus.

6,600 of Spartacus's followers were crucified along the Via Appia (or the Appian Way) from Capua to Rome—the distance being 132 Roman miles (of 5,000 Roman feet), so 100 Roman feet apart.

Around 5,000 slaves, however, escaped the capture. It is unknown whether or not Spartacus died in the battle at Silarus or survived and was crucified along with his men.

Modern depictions of Spartacus

Political

Spartacus has been a great inspiration to revolutionaries in modern times, most notably the Spartacist League of Weimar Germany. Karl Marx said Spartacus was his hero, citing him as the 'finest fellow' antiquity had to offer. Noted Latin American Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara was also a strong admirer of Spartacus. Spartacus has been compared by many to American Civil War abolitionist John Brown, citing both their "extreme" views of slavery (respective of their time periods),and willingness to follow their own path, regardless of the consequences; In 2004, Fast's novel was adapted as "Spartacus", a made-for-TV movie or miniseries by the USA Network, with Goran Višnjić in the main role. Silent movie A reference is also made to Spartacus in the movie "That Thing You Do," when the drummer, Shades, writes a song called "I am Spartacus." In the movie The Recruit, James Clayton designed a program and entitled it SPARTACUS. Arthur Koestler also wrote a novel about Spartacus called The Gladiators. Spartacus is a prominent character in the novel Fortune's Favorites by Colleen McCullough. McCullough subscribes to the theory that Spartacus was a renegade Roman soldier, but sticks to the historical account that his body was never found. Elijah Kellogg's " Spartacus to the Gladiators" has been used effectively by schoolboys to practise their oratory skills for ages. Spartacus also appears in Conn Iggulden's Emperor Series in the book The Death of Kings. The German group Triumvirat released the album Spartacus in 1975. The Farm's debut LP in 1991 was titled Spartacus. Jeff Wayne released his musical retelling, "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of Spartacus" in 1992. The anti-fascist punk/rock band Angelic Upstarts released an album in 2004 named "Sons Of Spartacus" "Spartacus" is the name of the 2nd song on The Fall of Troy's debut album.

Theatre

Spartacus Returns, an Indian ballet/play

Videogames

The videogame God of War was loosely based on the trails of Spartacus and his rebellion (though mainly based on Ares, the Greek god of war). The video game Spartan: Total Warrior was also loosely based on the journey of Spartacus. The player-controlled spaceship in the space simulation game Independence War: Defiance was dubbed the Spartacus, with a gladiator crudely emblazoned across its hull. Spartacus was featured in the game Heroscape in the wave known as Thora's Vengeance. In the popular real-time strategy game Rome: Total War, Spartacus can be unlocked and fought against. If a player builds a colosseum or arena in a conquered city, then let the city revolt Spartacus will be the general of the revolted city. Apparently, the rebel army led by Spartacus is extremely difficult and the player will have to use superior tactics to defeat it and reclaim the city.

Other

Adam Weishaupt, Freemason and supposed founder of the Illuminati, used "Spartacus" as a nom de plume. In the 2003 movie, The Recruit, James Clayton (played by Colin Farrell), creates a webcast software program called "Spartacus", that can gain control of all webcast devices in a particular area. The title character of the cartoon series Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea is loosely based on Spartacus. The name of the character Sportacus in the children's television program LazyTown is a pun on Spartacus. Spartacus is the name of an international rugby sevens team created in 2006. Spartacus is a character in the collectible miniatures game, Heroscape, released in Wave 5, Thora's Vengeance. [Chapter V] The Slave War of Spartacus, pp. 83–101.

Honours

Spartacus Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named for Spartacus.