The story ofSpartacus has reached the point of popular culture, most recently realized inthe Starz min-series Spartacus Blood and Sand. This series utilizesfacts we know to be accurate and weaves them into a story designed toentertain. Here we will take a look what history tells us about the revolt(from Plutarch and others) and put it in the context of the Italian geography.
The slaverevolt of 73 B.C. began when a group of gladiators (78 to be exact) broke outof the training camp of one Lentulus Badiates in Capua. Most of these men hadbeen captured, held as slaves, and forced to fight for their lives in thearena. Few were Romans, the majority being Gauls, Germans, and Thracians. Thegladiators escaped by breaking into the kitchen and stealing the cook’s knivesand spits, which they were able to use as weapons to overpower the guards.
OutsideCapua they had to good luck to come upon wagons loaded with weapons meant forgladiators in another city so they were able to arm themselves. Spartacus waselected the chief of three captains.It’s possible the other two were Crixus and Oenomaus.
Afterdefeating the Romans who were pursuing them out of Capua, the rebels were ableto substitute Roman weapons for their gladiator weapons, which they considereddishonorable. First attacked by the praetor Clodius on a mountain (Vesuvius?),Spartacus’ men were able to escape to the other side, circle around, attack,and defeat the Roman force. After this battle, the rebel force grew strongerthough the recruitment of sympathetic allies.
The log ofattempts to defeat Spartacus and his men follows:
1. Thepraetor Publius Varinus sent his lieutenant Furius against the rebels with2,000 men and they are defeated.
2. Cossiniuswas sent to give advice and counsel to Varinius but he and his men areintercepted while in camp and killed.
Spartacusdecides to march his men to the Alps and allow them to go their separate ways –Gauls to the west to their homeland and Thracians to the east. But there arose a disagreement on this because Crixus, the Gaul, did not wantto return to his homeland and was content to stay in the Italian peninsula and playthe brigand. In the fall of 73 B.C. the rebels returned to the south.
3. The consul Gellius attacks the German rebel faction andsoundly defeats them.
4. At thesame time Lentulus attacks the rebel force led by Spartacus and sees hisofficers defeated.
In the spring of 72 B.C. the rebels again move north.
5. Thepraetor Cassius attacks Spartacus with 10,000 men and is defeated at Mutina(?).
Meanwhile, an angry Senate gives Crassus the job of defeating Spartacus.
6. Stationedat Picenum, Crassus sends his lieutenant Mummius with two legions to observeand not attack the rebels. Spartacus is able to draw Mummius into battleand the Romans are routed.
A furiousCrassus proceeds to decimate his army while Spartacus retreats down throughLucania into the toe of Italy. The latter attempts to cross into Sicily withthe aid of Cilician pirates but they deceive him and sail away. Spartacussettles his army near Rhegium.
Afterarriving at the Italian toe, Crassus orders that a wall be build across theisthmus to prevent a rebel escape. The resulting wall is 37 miles long!
The location of the wall on this map is an approximation based on the closest point to Rhegium that a 37 mile line could be placed.
Crassus asks the Senate to recall Lucullus from Thrace and Pompey from Spain to assisthim in defeating the rebels. Some deserters from Spartacus’ army breakout andare about to be taken by Crassus when Spartacus comes to their aid. Crassusattacks the deserters a second time and is able to kill 12,000.
Spartacusretires to the mountains of Petelia, where he is pursued by two of Crassus’officers Quintius and Scrofa.
7. Both areutterly defeated by Spartacus at Petelia.
At thisjuncture Spartacus men, tired of retreat, demand that the rebel army return andfight the Romans to the death. They engage the armies of Crassus and Pompey andare finally defeated. The body of Spartacus is never found.
The map below shows the movements of Spartacus and his rebel army over the period of the revolt.
