Biography: Early Life. The punishment for deserting the legion was to be sold into slavery. [46] Spartacus now turned his forces around and brought his entire strength to bear on the legions in a last stand, in which the rebels were routed completely, with the vast majority of them being killed on the battlefield.[47]. All sources agree that he was a former gladiator and an accomplished military leader. Stories like Whitfields, and Marcus very repetitions of such key Stoic meditations reflect thathowever critics of this conception of philosophy paint it, superciliously, as facileto attain such philosophical serenity is anything but easy. Once again, the first season of the show reflects a lot of accurate history. For many viewers, the question of whether Spartacus was a real person or whether the story is based on real events is at the forefront of their minds. Due to the previous Social War (9187 BC), some of Spartacus's ranks were legion veterans. Spartacus escaped in 73 BC and took refuge on nearby Mount Vesuvius, where large numbers of other escaped slaves joined him. I am like a butterfly with broken wings. They were able to build such a formidable force in part because many freedmen and other free commoners joined their ranks along with thousands of fugitive slaves, writes historian Michael Parenti in an essay published in the book "Spartacus: Film and History" (Blackwell, 2006). Unfortunately, this famous saying is purely derived from the example set by Spartacus and isnt actually a part of his history. Hecontinues to embody class struggle in a very clear and resonant way. Image credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. It is possible that they needed to stay on the move to sustain resources, or to corral more support. Associate Professor in Philosophy, Deakin University, Matthew Sharpe works at Deakin. His army of nearly 100,000 overran most of southern Italy and fought its way up the entire length of the Italian Peninsula to the Alps. Gradually, more escaped slaves joined their ranks. [39] Leading his army of runaway slaves, which has been estimated to have reached 100,000 men, Spartacus defeated a series of Roman attacks using tactics which would now be called guerrilla warfare. Was Spartacus real? While at the school, Spartacus helped organize a breakout that led to more than 70 gladiators escaping armed with knives, cleavers and other makeshift weapons they got from the kitchen. Soon after, he escaped with about 70 other gladiators and gathered his followers on nearby Mount Vesuvius. The ethic of the gladiators is a kind of grim Stoicism, as this ancient philosophy is usually understood: one of joylessly facing down adversity, buoyed only by the hopeless hope of glory in the arena. Born in roughly 109 B.C.E., his life's mostly a mystery to history until he became a thorn in the side of the Roman Empire. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [30] The distance between these locations and the subsequent events indicate that the slaves operated in two groups commanded by the remaining leaders Spartacus and Crixus. Rome dispatched militia under the command of the praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber, who besieged Spartacus and his camp on Mount Vesuvius, hoping that starvation would force Spartacus to surrender. Spartacus was believed to have died in this battle. They were taken by surprise when Spartacus used ropes made from vines to climb down the steep side of the volcano with his men and attacked the unfortified Roman camp in the rear, killing most of the militia. Paperback. Yet Whitfields own response was different. They also advertise for all who see the film the merits of its informing philosophy. Plutarch wrote that, just before the battle, Spartacus got off his horse, killed the beast, and told his men that if he won the battle, he would have many fine horses that belonged to the enemy, but if he lost he would have no need of a horse. The battle went poorly. Spartacus continued to ambush and defeat Roman units while freeing slaves in the countryside and gathering supplies. Spartacus's name was also used in athletics in the Soviet Union and communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. A September 2010 medical check-up indicated that the disease had returned, now in different places. Spartacus was a Roman slave and gladiator who led a revolt against Rome, which turned into the Third Servile War (73 B.C.E. Furthermore a split emerged in the rebel camp. 9, Correspondance gnrale, 461-3, no. [37] When Spartacus and his followers, who for unclear reasons had retreated to the south of Italy, moved northward again in early 71 BC, Crassus deployed six of his legions on the borders of the region and detached his legate Mummius with two legions to maneuver behind Spartacus. Thankfully, they'll all miss. It served as a visual demonstration to his own men of what would happen to them if they did not win, wrote Appian. Here, Marcus Crassus made his final stance against Spartacus, and with vastly superior numbers. Spartacus was now isolated further. Together they used guerrilla tactics to fight off Roman attacks. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The rebels were now under siege and cut off from their supplies. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. After defeating another Roman force, this one led by a Roman governor named Gaius Cassius Longinus, Spartacuss force was now free to climb the Alps and go to Gaul, Thrace or other areas not controlled by Rome. It is to bear up well to whatever befalls him. Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led a slave revolt with an army numbering in the tens of thousands. [4], The Greek essayist Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian of Nomadic stock",[5] in a possible reference to the Maedi tribe. Sources differ on why Spartacus took this course of action. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University. In the spring of 71 BC things fell apart for Spartacus. But one thing neither commander appears to have counted on was that Spartacus had built up a sizable cavalry force in the preceding months. NEXT:5 Things That Are Historically Accurate In Peaky Blinders (& 5 That Aren't). There are varying accounts about Spartacuss death but they all end with him being surrounded and killed. Spartacus was a Thracian who had served in the Roman army but seems to have deserted. Read more. There was a bit of Graffiti found in Pompeii showing Spartacus fighting written in the local Oscan language. Philosophy is no trick to catch the public, the Roman Stoic Seneca (first century CE) thus wrote a pupil: it is not devised for show. Spartacus was around 30 years old at the time he started his revolt,[17] which would put his birth year around 103 BC. However, while Caesar lived during this rebellion and did personally know Crassus, he had no involvement in the events that transpired. However, in his final battle, Spartacus killed his horse so that he can be on the same level as his soldiers. "He was a gentle man who never said a bad word about anyone, a gifted photographer, engineer (no really!) [24], The rebels also defeated a second expedition against them, nearly capturing the praetor commander, killing his lieutenants, and seizing the military equipment. Answer (1 of 21): Sort of. [20] The escaped slaves defeated soldiers sent after them, plundered the region surrounding Capua, recruited many other slaves into their ranks, and eventually retired to a more defensible position on Mount Vesuvius.[22][23]. Gellius then proceeded to advance on Spartacus from the south while Lentulus, who was apparently ahead of Spartacus, drove in from the north. In 73 BC Spartacus escaped from the gladiatorial barracks with around 70 comrades, armed with kitchen implements and a few scattered weapons. Other characters, such as Gannicus and Castus, were also real-life individuals who participated in Spartacus rebellion. Which is better only God knows. In his poem explaining the Epicurean worldview, On the Nature of Things, the Roman philosopher-poet Lucretius begins each of the books with hymns to his teacher which condense this fundamental idea of philosophy as a way of life. Little is known about this fighting enslaved man from Thrace beyond his role in the spectacular revolt that became known as the Third Servile War (73-71 BCE). Whatever the truth of the story, you are unlikely to learn much about it by watching the 2010-2013 Starz series Spartacus which dramatizes the Thracian slave-come-gladiators epic story. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Rome initially considered the revolt a nuisance. Most people are familiar with the famous line, I am Spartacus. This quote was made famous thanks to the 1906s film. Perhaps seeing his own soldiers beginning to waver Spartacus stiffened their resolve by crucifying a Roman soldier where all could see. While the enslavement part is certainly true, only theories exist that suggest the two sides originally worked together. Florus described him as one "who, from a Thracian mercenary, had become a Roman soldier, that had deserted and became enslaved, and afterward, from consideration of his strength, a gladiator". History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. The show depicts the two groups as collaborators at first, with the Romans eventually turning on the Thracians and enslaving them. However, in a moment of extraordinary ingenuity, the rebels abseiled down the mountain with ropes created fromvines. In the end they stayed, and roamed up and down Italy. He gained fame for both putting down the slave rebellion led by the gladiator Spartacus and as a member of the powerful First Triumvirate, but despite his successes and great wealth, he was always jealous of the military accomplishments of his rivals Caesar and Pompey. Spartacus is written into history as a significant enemy who posed a very real treat to Rome. Glaber serves as the main antagonist for the second season of . He was an inspiration to many slaves who . This success resulted in new recruits flocking to the force of Spartacus. Although Crassus would ultimately defeat the Spartacus rebellion, Pompey would claim credit for the act, fueling his own rise to the apex of Roman politics. New York, Every captive . Spartacus could have tried for another port, or another part of Italy. It may be amongst the more difficult things you can achieve: But all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. They fought off a series of attacks from Roman forces, but then turned south. [54] Spartacus Books, one of the longest running collectively-run leftist book stores in North America, is also named in his honour. 1996 - 2023 National Geographic Society. He was a Thracian who joined the Roman army as a young man. Legend tells that when the Romans defeated the slave revolt led by the gladiator Spartacus in 71 BCE, they searched in vain for the real Spartacus. Around 6,000 men survived the battle but were later captured and crucified by the Roman army. Andy Whitfield (season 1 and prequel) and Liam McIntyre (seasons 2-3) as Spartacus - a Thracian slave who becomes a gladiator in the ludus of Lentulus Batiatus before leading a slave uprising. Each man may have commanded 10,000 troops. He deserted the army, was outlawed, captured, sold into slavery, and trained at the gladiatorial school of Batiatus in Capua. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. By the 1stcentury BC, Rome had gathered supreme control of the Mediterranean in a series of bloody wars. The show sees Caesar as very involved in the plot to take down Spartacus, even going so far as to infiltrate his forces. Andy Whitfield, the British star of US TV drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has died at the age of 39. "He passed peacefully surrounded by love. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. The legend of Spartacus has inspired so many fanciful retellings, it's easy to lose track of what actually happened back in 73 BC. Furthermore, based off of what historians know, the first season is fairly accurate. Spartacuss rebel army swelledas it became a magnet for the disaffected. The Romans camped at the bottom of the mountain, trying to starve out the rebels. Nationality: Thracian. Eventually, Spartacus would find himself as a gladiator and earn quite a name for himself as one of the best fighters in the ring. This dynamic allowed for some very interesting relationships to form which only added to the drama of the series. Be Here Now documents Whitfields battle with the disease between March 2010 and September 2011. She or he will best know the preferred format. Whether Spartacus really wanted this, or whether his men decided this for him, is not known. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. If you separate from yourself the future and the past, and apply yourself exclusively to living the life that you are livingthat is to say, the presentyou can live all the time that remains to you until your death, in calm, benevolence, and serenity. Castus and Gannicus were defeated by Crassus, likely sometime before April, at the Battle of Cantenna. Spartacus was born in Thrace, an area where the modern-day Balkans states, including Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece, are located. How did Spartacus die in real life? Who, today, remembers Crassus? It is known that Spartacus was of Thracian origins and eventually captured and enslaved by the Roman army. The details surrounding the death of the real Spartacus remain a mystery to this day. Plutarch writes that Spartacus wished to escape north into Cisalpine Gaul and disperse his men back to their homes. While the Starz show was praised for its historical accuracy, that doesn't quite mean that it got everything about the man right. [42] Crassus feared that Pompey's involvement would deprive him of credit for defeating Spartacus himself. He will be remembered as the inspiring, courageous and gentle man, father and husband he was.". The maxim Be Here Now reflects a philosophical attitude to existence close to the heart of Buddhism, in the East, and to Stoicism in particular, in the West. Spartacus. It was acclaimed as the first truly intelligent epic, but its director, the highly acclaimed Stanley Kubrick, has largely disowned it.Kubrick took the assignment, partially as a way of escaping the ill-fated One-Eyed Jacks project he was . He undertakes, in total, some eleven rounds of chemotherapy, and one bout of radiography: exhausting every possible therapeutic avenue. Spartacus attempted to lead his rowdy band back home to their native lands, but they preferred to stay and increase their ill-gotten gains. Their insurrection came to be known as the Third Servile War, or the Gladiators War. The slaves not only annihilated this army as well but "Spartacus himself actually . Whitfield's Spartacus co-star Lucy Lawless also paid tribute to the actor in a statement to EW: "Andy Whitfield left an indelible mark on all of us in the Spartacus family," she said. Undeterred Spartacus, at the head of his troops, and on foot, led a charge aimed at Crassus himself. In actuality, his wife actually spent time with him at the house and even escaped with him and the other slaves. Jupiter and Venus 'kiss' in a stunning planetary conjunction tonight. There are real intellectual risks that attend East-West comparisons in philosophy, as in other disciplines. and a brilliant actor. Yet even Pierre Hadot, the philologist-turned-philosopher famous for re-emphasing the often-forgotten existential dimension of classical philosophy, at the end of his life begrudgingly admitted the extraordinary parallels between the kind of Buddhism which assisted Andy Whitfield in his final years, and ancient Stoic, sceptical and Epicurean ideas. They marched as far north as Gaul (modern-day France). Spartacus took the initiative, having his newly liberated slaves build rope out of wild vines so they could move down the mountainside to a spot the Roman had neglected to defend. Spartacus represents the pinnacle of the epic film trend which included spectaculars such as Cleopatra, Ben Hur, and Fall of the Roman Empire. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. But, for reasons we do not know, he decided to turn around and attack Crassus. Spartacus was an ancient Roman slave and gladiator who led a rebellion against the Roman Republic. Five out of twenty Kings of the Thracian Spartocid dynasty of the Cimmerian Bosporus[13] and Pontus[14] are known to have borne it, and a Thracian "Sparta" "Spardacus"[15] or "Sparadokos",[16] father of Seuthes I of the Odrysae, is also known. At the time of his breakout, the Republics military was fighting in Spain, southeast Europe and Crete. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Furthermore, it is here where Spartacus began his rebellion with the escape of about 70 slaves. Hereturned to the popular consciousness of Europe during the 1791 slave rebellion in Haiti. Know the courageous life and leader of the Gladiatorial War, Spartacus, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Spartacus-Roman-gladiator, HistoryNet - Spartacus, the Slave Warrior Who Threatened Rome, Spartacus - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Classical historians were divided as to the motives of Spartacus. Other warriors like Gannicus who was strung up on . Jack is an avid reader and writer with a plethora of works in all genres. [44], When the legions managed to catch a portion of the rebels separated from the main army,[45] discipline among Spartacus's forces broke down as small groups independently attacked the oncoming legions. Hemmed in by Crassuss eight legions, Spartacuss army divided. Likewise, most major battles that take place in the show actually took place in real life. [26] At its height, Spartacus's army included many different peoples, including Celts, Gauls, and others. AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, US sues Exxon over nooses found at Louisiana plant, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, Coded hidden note led to Italy mafia boss arrest. Image Credit: Gautier Poupeau from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. According to the surviving sources, Spartacus was from Thrace, an area in southeast Europe that the Romans were often trying to subjugate during the first century B.C.. The series comes to an end in an epic battle of troops and a personal mano-a-mano bloody, bloody sword fight between Spartacus and Crassus. . He was a heavyweight gladiator called a murmillo. Around 6,000 of his followers who escaped were hunted down and crucified. This was a well-established source for slaves, and Spartacus was just one of the many who made the trek into Italy. There seem to be a small number of fundamental attitudes of reason available to people from all cultures, Hadot came to suppose. In one scene, recorded soon after the final medical news is delivered to him and Vashti, Andy tells us that he has been learning to sit with this awareness, and come to a peace with it. By the spring of 72 B.C., Spartacus may have had 40,000 troops, some of which stayed in south Italy with his co-leader Crixus while the remainder advanced towards the Alps under the command of Spartacus. He defeated Lentulus legates and captured all of their supplies, Plutarch writes. Additionally Crassuss force was still largely intact while another force, led by Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus, was about to land at Brundisium and a third force, led by Pompey, was on its way to Italy from Spain. Spartacuss strategy appears to have been two-fold, use his cavalry to attack Crassuss archers and missile throwers while Spartacus would lead his infantry in an attempt to kill Crassus himself, hoping to break up his army. With around 3,000 Romans in pursuit, the escapees headed for Mount Vesuvius, where heavy forest provided cover. The show plays out a lot of similar battle strategies used by the Romans and depicts the results rather accurately. The chroniclers Appian and Plutarch provide the greatest detail about Spartacus's final battle against Crassus. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. The slaves managed to break through the fortifications that Crassus had built to trap them, but were pursued to Lucania where the rebel army was destroyed. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. He also certainly did not infiltrate Spartacus armies and spy on him in any manner. Yet greater admiration is surely owed to any philosophy which ministers tender consolations which assuage the minds of men.. Additionally the Roman governor of Sicily, Gaius Verres, had fortified some of the best landing spots. Many theories have been proposed, but the best explanation was already hinted at in the ancient sources. Strauss notes that he was a wealthy individual, able to raise a large army and pay them, at least in part, out of his own pocket. Spartacus, Crixus, and Oenomaus led their army efficiently and cleverly. They then stormed the Roman camp, overwhelming them and in the process picking up military-grade equipment. What Was the Sudeten Crisis and Why Was it So Important? Soon after, he escaped with about 70 other gladiators and gathered his followers on nearby Mount Vesuvius. The name Spartacus is otherwise manifested in the Black Sea region. Andy Whitfield, the British star of US TV drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The real-life battle between the two was likely much more politically driven than personal. Andy travels to India to a retreat; spends time with his father. As each round of treatment raises hopes of remission, and each round of news disappoints those hopes, we watch Andy and Vashti responding, and finally conceding to the inevitable. Spartacus was a citizen of Rome, which means he was a free male. "Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace," he added. In The Spartacus War, Barry Strauss gives a historical account of . Spartacus and his small band of escapees acquired gladiator weapons from a passing cart and made their way to Mount Vesuvius. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Spartacus may have received news of Roman advances in Thrace that made him doubt that he and the other Thracians in his army could return home safely. Corrections? Omissions? Most people worship heroes like Hercules, or the Spartacus depicted for adolescents in series like Spartacus: Blood and Sand, for their great bodily strength and feats: However, unless our hearts are purified, what battles and dangers must then insinuate themselves in us, against our will! NY 10036. The move against Spartacus on Mount Vesuvius unfolded in a very similar manner to real life. In March 2010, however, after the first season of the hit series, Whitfield was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. When the Romans fled, the slaves seized their camp, Plutarch wrote. Although much of the evidence for Spartacus existence is anecdotal, there are some coherent themes that emerge. Indeed, slave rebellions were not uncommon. It moulds and constructs the soul; it orders our life, guides our conduct, shows us what we should do and what we should leave undone Without it, no one can live fearlessly or in peace of mind. Spartacus brings him wine laced with a sleeping drug, but Doctore will not accept any, saying he has not had alcohol since Melitta's death.