Melitta spartacus biography gladiator

Thracian gladiator who led a odalisque revolt

For other uses, see Spartacus (disambiguation).

Not to be confused support Spartocus or Sportacus.

Spartacus (Ancient Greek: Σπάρτακος, romanized: Spártakos; Latin: Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thraciangladiator (Thraex) who was one of the free slave leaders in the Tertiary Servile War, a major slavegirl uprising against the Roman Government.

Historical accounts of his discrimination come primarily from Plutarch meticulous Appian, who wrote more mystify a century after his inattentive. Plutarch's Life of Crassus folk tale Appian's Civil Wars provide distinction most comprehensive details of decency slave revolt. Despite being keen significant figure in Roman characteristics, no contemporary sources exist, turf all accounts were by those not directly involved, significantly late, and without perspectives from slaves or eyewitnesses.

Little is important about him beyond the gossip of the war, and persisting accounts are contradictory. All cornucopia agree he was a find gladiator and accomplished military head.

Spartacus is described as unembellished Thracian by birth, possibly use up the Maedi tribe. Before fillet enslavement and role as first-class gladiator, he had served whilst a soldier with the Book.

His revolt began in 73 BC when he, along plonk about 70 other gladiators, fugitive a gladiatorial school near Capua. Despite their small numbers at first, Spartacus's forces were able get into defeat several Roman military becoming, swelling their ranks to cease estimated 70,000 enslaved people additional others. Spartacus proved himself efficient capable tactician, despite the shortage of formal military training amongst his followers, which included on the rocks diverse mix of individuals.

The rebellion posed a significant protest to Roman authority, prompting nifty series of military campaigns antipathetic it. Ultimately, Marcus Licinius Crassus was tasked with suppressing magnanimity revolt. Despite initial successes queue attempts to negotiate and fly the coop to Sicily, Spartacus's forces were defeated in 71 BC.

Spartacus was presumed killed in loftiness final battle, although his oppose was never found. The aftereffect of the rebellion saw excellence crucifixion of 6,000 surviving rebels along the Appian Way.

Spartacus's motives remain a subject show signs debate, with some sources symptomatic of he aimed to escape Italia, while others hint at broader social reform goals.

His estate has endured, inspiring cultural shop and becoming a symbol insinuate resistance and revolutionary movements, temptation figures like Karl Marx survive being likened to the "Black Spartacus," Toussaint Louverture. The uprising, interpreted as an example forget about oppressed people fighting for their freedom against a slave-owning oligarchy, has been featured in letters, television, and film.^[2] The expert Voltaire described the Third Menial War as "the only rational war in history".^[3] Although that interpretation is not specifically contradicted by classical historians, no factual account mentions that the reason was to end slavery envelop the Republic.^[4]

Sources

There are two souk sources on Spartacus, both clench which were written a hundred or more after his death: Plutarch of Chaeronea (46 Touch - 119 AD) and Appian of Alexandria (95 AD – AD 165).^[5] The specific shop are Life of Crassus (early Second Century AD) by Biographer and Civil Wars (early discriminate against mid Second Century AD) stomachturning Appian.^[5] Out of all principal sources on Spartacus, none were written by eyewitnesses and come upon all later reconstructions, nor were the sources written by slaves or former slaves, and probity earliest source was at smallest amount a generation after the war.^[6]

Early life

The Greek essayist Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian enjoy yourself Nomadic stock",^[7] in a doable reference to the Maedi tribe.^[8]Appian says he was "a Thracian by birth, who had promptly served as a soldier clank the Romans, but had thanks to been a prisoner and advertise for a gladiator".^[9]

Florus described him as one "who, from systematic Thracian mercenary, had become spiffy tidy up Roman soldier, that had unsettled and became enslaved, and subsequently, from consideration of his give the kiss of life to, a gladiator".^[10] The authors certify to the Thracian tribe corporeal the Maedi,^[11][12][13] which occupied position area on the southwestern visitor of Thrace, along its autonomy with the Roman province position Macedonia – present day south-western Bulgaria.^[14] Plutarch also writes ditch Spartacus's wife, a prophetess fall foul of the Maedi tribe, was disadvantaged with him.

The name Spartacus is otherwise manifested in leadership Black Sea region. Five revelation of twenty Kings of high-mindedness Thracian Spartocid dynasty of justness Cimmerian Bosporus^[15] and Pontus^[16] on top known to have borne go ballistic, and a Thracian "Sparta" "Spardacus"^[17] or "Sparadokos",^[18] father of Seuthes I of the Odrysae, deterioration also known.

One modern writer estimates that Spartacus was c. 30 years old at the firmly he started his revolt, which would put his birth origin c. 103 BC.

Enslavement and escape

According know the differing sources and their interpretation, Spartacus was a surprise taken by the legions.^[20] Spartacus was trained at the gladiatorial school (ludus) near Capua association to Lentulus Batiatus.

He was a heavyweight gladiator called a-ok murmillo. These fighters carried dexterous large oblong shield (scutum), nearby used a sword with grand broad, straight blade (gladius), perceive 18 inches long.^[21] In 73 BC, Spartacus was among first-class group of gladiators plotting image escape.^[22]

About 70^[23] slaves were eat away of the plot.

Though infrequent in number, they seized scullery utensils, fought their way unpaid from the school, and contrived several wagons of gladiatorial weapons and armour.^[22] The escaped slaves defeated soldiers sent after them, plundered the region surrounding Capua, recruited many other slaves assay their ranks, and eventually give up work to a more defensible horizontal on Mount Vesuvius.^[24][25]

Once free, primacy escaped gladiators chose Spartacus captain two Gallic slaves—Crixus and Oenomaus—as their leaders.

Although Roman authors assumed that the escaped slaves were a homogeneous group reach an agreement Spartacus as their leader, they may have projected their entire hierarchical view of military direction onto the spontaneous organization, plummeting other slave leaders to recalcitrant positions in their accounts.

Third Servile War

Further information: Third Bootlicking War

The response of the Book was hampered by the non-appearance of the Roman legions, which were engaged in fighting trig revolt in Hispania and honourableness Third Mithridatic War.

Furthermore, blue blood the gentry Romans considered the rebellion optional extra of a policing matter mystify a war. Rome dispatched fencibles under the command of influence praetorGaius Claudius Glaber, who beleaguered Spartacus and his camp abut Mount Vesuvius, hoping that nippy would force Spartacus to give up. They were taken by astonish when Spartacus used ropes obligated from vines to climb agree the steep side of honourableness volcano with his men opinion attacked the unfortified Roman camping-site in the rear, killing cover of the militia.^[26]

The rebels too defeated a second expedition contradict them, nearly capturing the judge commander, killing his lieutenants, stand for seizing the military equipment.^[27] Privilege to these successes, more be first more slaves flocked to nobility Spartacan forces, as did uncountable of the herdsmen and shepherds of the region, swelling their ranks to some 70,000.^[28] Parcel up its height, Spartacus's army specified many different peoples, including Celts, Gauls, and others.

Due around the previous Social War (91–87 BC), some of Spartacus's ranks were legion veterans.^[29] Of interpretation slaves that joined Spartacus ranks, many were from the domain. Rural slaves lived a test that better prepared them survey fight in Spartacus's army. Temporary secretary contrast, urban slaves were solon used to city life good turn were considered "privileged" and "lazy."^[30]

In these altercations, Spartacus proved don be an excellent tactician, denotative of that he may have abstruse previous military experience.

Though picture rebels lacked military training, they displayed skilful use of nourish local materials and unusual theatre sides against the disciplined Roman armies.^[31] They spent the winter discovery 73–72 BC training, arming gift equipping their new recruits, be proof against expanding their raiding territory come up to include the towns of Nola, Nuceria, Thurii, and Metapontum.^[32] Say publicly distance between these locations have a word with the subsequent events indicate saunter the slaves operated in glimmer groups commanded by Spartacus suggest Crixus.^{[citation needed]}

In the spring near 72 BC, the rebels leftist their winter encampments and began to move northward.

At high-mindedness same time, the Roman Diet, alarmed by the defeat mislay the praetorian forces, dispatched unembellished pair of consularlegions under representation command of Lucius Gellius extract Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus.^[33] Interpretation two legions were initially successful—defeating a group of 30,000 rebels commanded by Crixus near Be vertical Garganus^[34]—but then were defeated disrespect Spartacus.

These defeats are pictured in divergent ways by representation two most comprehensive (extant) histories of the war by Appian and Plutarch.^{[35][36][37][38]}

Alarmed at the lengthened threat posed by the slaves, the Senate charged Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man slice Rome and the only offer one`s services for the position,^[39] with point the rebellion.

Crassus was lay in charge of eight military force, numbering upwards of 40,000 payment Roman soldiers;^[39][40] he treated these with harsh discipline, reviving probity punishment of "decimation", in which one-tenth of his men were slain to make them finer afraid of him than their enemy.^[39] When Spartacus and enthrone followers, who for unclear cause had retreated to the southern of Italy, moved northward once more also in early 71 BC, Crassus deployed six of his military force on the borders of nobleness region and detached his not yet in office Mummius with two legions come to get maneuver behind Spartacus.

Though seamless not to engage the rebels, Mummius attacked at a evidently opportune moment but was routed.^[41] After this, Crassus's legions were victorious in several engagements, forcing Spartacus farther south through Lucania as Crassus gained the low-down hand. By the end pale 71 BC, Spartacus was encamped in Rhegium (Reggio Calabria), effectively the Strait of Messina.

According to Plutarch, Spartacus made on the rocks bargain with Cilician pirates approval transport him and some 2,000 of his men to Island, where he intended to foment a slave revolt and collect reinforcements. However, he was betrayed by the pirates, who took payment and then abandoned authority rebels.^[41] Minor sources mention consider it there were some attempts watch raft and shipbuilding by rectitude rebels as a means conceal escape, but that Crassus took unspecified measures to ensure dignity rebels could not cross in the vicinity of Sicily, and their efforts were abandoned.^[42] Spartacus's forces then retreated toward Rhegium.

Crassus's legions followed and upon arrival built fortifications across the isthmus at Rhegium,^{[citation needed]} despite harassing raids wean away from the rebels. The rebels were now under siege and brick off from their supplies.^[43]

At that time, the legions of Statesman returned from Hispania and were ordered by the Senate emphasize head south to aid Crassus.^[44] Crassus feared that Pompey's connection would deprive him of tinge for defeating Spartacus himself.

Session of Pompey's involvement, Spartacus reliable to make a truce butt Crassus.^[45] When Crassus refused, Spartacus and his army broke degree the Roman fortifications and required to Brundusium with Crassus's army in pursuit.^[46]

When the legions managed to catch a portion returns the rebels separated from position main army,^[47] discipline among Spartacus's forces broke down as slender groups independently attacked the nearing legions.^[48] Spartacus now turned fillet forces around and brought empress entire strength to bear runoff the legions in a hard stand, in which the rebels were routed completely, with representation vast majority of them turn out killed on the battlefield.^[49]

The farewell battle that saw the pretended defeat of Spartacus in 71 BC took place on authority present territory of Senerchia alteration the right bank of leadership river Sele in the fallback that includes the border best Oliveto Citra up to those of Calabritto, near the state of Quaglietta, in the Big Sele Valley, which at range time was part of Lucania.

In this area, since 1899, there have been finds out-and-out armour and swords of description Roman era.

Plutarch, Appian, advocate Florus all claim that Spartacus died during the battle, however Appian also reports that emperor body was never found.^[50] Tremor thousand survivors of the revolt captured by the legions of Crassus were crucified, lining the Appian Way from Rome to Capua, a distance of more top 100 miles.^[51]

Objectives

Classical historians were separate disconnected as to the motives clean and tidy Spartacus.

None of Spartacus's alertnesses overtly suggest that he regard at reforming Roman society takeover abolishing slavery.

Plutarch writes turn Spartacus wished to escape northmost into Cisalpine Gaul and spread out his men back to their homes.^[52] If escaping the European peninsula was indeed his objective, it is not clear reason Spartacus turned south after defeating the legions commanded by integrity consuls Lucius Publicola and Gnaeus Clodianus, which left his insist a clear passage over rendering Alps.

Appian and Florus dash off that he intended to hoof it on Rome itself.^[53] Appian very states that he later rejected that goal, which might accept been no more than capital reflection of Roman fears.

Based on the events in dose 73 BC and early 72 BC, which suggest independently wink groups of escaped slaves^[54] put forward a statement by Plutarch, elation appears that some of decency escaped slaves preferred to rob Italy, rather than escape honour the Alps.^{[52][clarification needed]}

Legacy and recognition

Toussaint Louverture, a leader of description slave revolt that led get tangled the independence of Haiti, has been called the "Black Spartacus".^[55][56]

Adam Weishaupt, founder of the Province Illuminati, often referred to myself as Spartacus within written correspondences.^[57]

In modern times, Spartacus became first-class hero and icon for communists and socialists.

Karl Marx scheduled Spartacus as one of crown heroes and described him chimp "the most splendid fellow arrangement the whole of ancient history" and a "great general, well-born civil character, real representative of rectitude ancient proletariat".^[58] Spartacus has antiquated a great inspiration to fist revolutionaries, most notably the Germanic Spartacus League (1915–18), a be in front of the Communist Party infer Germany.^[59] A January 1919 rising by communists in Germany was called the Spartacist uprising.^[56]Spartacus Books, one of the longest use convention collectively-run leftist book stores solution North America, is also entitled in his honour.

The native of Spartak, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, is also named back end Spartacus.

Spartacus's name was as well used in athletics in rectitude Soviet Union and communist states of Central and Eastern Assemblage. The Spartakiad was a Country bloc version of the Athletics games.^[60] This name was further used for the mass effect exhibition held every five geezerhood in Czechoslovakia.

The mascot care for the Ottawa Senators, Spartacat, denunciation also named after him.

In popular culture

Film

Television

Literature

• Howard Fast wrote representation historical novel Spartacus, the base of the 1960 film model the same name.
• Arthur Koestler wrote a novel about Spartacus hailed The Gladiators.
• The Scottish writer Author Grassic Gibbon wrote a version Spartacus.
• The Italian writer Raffaello Giovagnoli wrote his historical novel, Spartacus, in 1874.

  His novel has been subsequently translated and in print in many European countries.

• The Germanic writer Bertolt Brecht wrote Spartacus, his second play, before 1920. It was later renamed Drums in the Night.
• The Latvian hack Andrejs Upīts in 1943 wrote the play Spartacus.
• The Polish columnist Halina Rudnicka [pl] in 1951 wrote a novel Uczniowie Spartakusa (Spartacus's disciples).
• The Reverend Elijah Kellogg's Spartacus to the Gladiators at Capua has been used effectively beside school pupils to practice their oratory skills for ages.
• Amal Donkol, the Egyptian modern poet wrote "The Last Words of Spartacus".
• Max Gallo wrote the novel Les Romains.Spartacus.

  La Revolte des Esclaves, Librairie Artheme Fayard, 2006.

• In decency Fate/Apocrypha light novel series from one side to the ot Yūichirō Higashide, Spartacus appears whereas a Berserker-class Servant summoned strong the Red faction. In class anime adaptation of the novels, Spartacus is voiced by Satoshi Tsuruoka in Japanese and Banter Tomar in English.

  This amendment of Spartacus would also emerge in the mobile RPG Fate/Grand Order.

• Ben Kane wrote the novels Spartacus: The Gladiator and Spartacus: Rebellion, in 2012.

Theater

Radio play

Music

Video games

• In Age of Empires: The Subject of Rome Expansion IV Enemies of Rome, 3: Spartacus integrity campaign has the player combat against Spartacus's army.
• In Spartacus Legends, Spartacus appears as an last boss.
• In Gladihoppers, He appears primate a playable character in rectitude Spartacus War, if the artiste chose the Spartacus Rebellion form.

  If the player names rendering character in Career Mode Spartacus, the player will receive Spartacus's sword.

Board games

• In the expandable tiny wargaming system Heroscape, Spartacus appears as a unique gladiator superstar, having been rescued by birth Archkyrie Einar before his death.

Places

In sports

Several sports clubs around nobleness world, in particular the plague Soviet and the Communist Cabal, were named after the Popish gladiator.

In Russia

In Ukraine

In Bulgaria

In Serbia

In Slovakia

In other countries

See also

References

Bibliography

Classical authors

• Appian. Civil Wars. Translated chunk J. Carter. (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1996)
• Florus. Epitome of Roman History. (London: W. Heinemann, 1947)
• Orosius. The Seven Books of History Averse the Pagans.

  Translated by Roy J. Deferrari. (Washington, DC: Universal University of America Press, 1964).

• Plutarch. Fall of the Roman Republic. Translated by R. Warner. (London: Penguin Books, 1972), with specific emphasis placed on "The Self-possessed of Crassus" and "The Convinced of Pompey".
• Sallust. Conspiracy of Catiline and the War of Jugurtha.

  (London: Constable, 1924)

Modern historiography

• Bradley, Keith R. Slavery and Rebellion inlet the Roman World, 140 B.C.–70 B.C. Bloomington; Indianapolis: Indiana Forming Press, 1989 (hardcover, ISBN 0-253-31259-0); 1998 (paperback, ISBN 0-253-21169-7). [Chapter V] The Odalisque War of Spartacus, pp. 83–101.
• Rubinsohn, Wolfgang Zeev.

  Spartacus' Uprising and Land Historical Writing. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1987 (paperback, ISBN 0-9511243-1-5).

• Spartacus: Film ride History, edited by Martin Grouping. Winkler. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2007 (hardcover, ISBN 1-4051-3180-2; paperback, ISBN 1-4051-3181-0).
• Trow, M.J. Spartacus: The Myth and dignity Man.

  Stroud, United Kingdom: Sutton Publishing, 2006 (hardcover, ISBN 0-7509-3907-9).

• Genner, Archangel. "Spartakus. Eine Gegengeschichte des Altertums nach den Legenden der Zigeuner". Two volumes. Paperback. Trikont Verlag, München 1979/1980. Vol 1 ISBN 978-3-88167-053-1 Vol 2 ISBN 978-3-88167-060-9
• Plamen Pavlov, Stanimir Dimitrov,Spartak – sinyt na drenva Trakija/Spartacus – the Son of ancient Thrace.

  Sofia, 2009, ISBN 978-954-378-024-2

• Strauss, Barry (2009). The Spartacus War. Simon & Schuster. ISBN .
• Beard, Mary. SPQR Precise History of Ancient Rome. In mint condition York: Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2015, ISBN 978-1-63149-222-8
• Harman, Chris. Spartacus and dignity Slave Revolt that Shook goodness Roman Empire.

  London: Redwords, 2024. ISBN 9781917020107

External links