War of Spartacus

Uprising of Spartacus in 73-71 BCE was the greatest spurt of slaves in the history of ancient Rome. The result of the rebellion was the decision to gradually improve the existence of slaves.

Background of events

With the territorial expansion of Rome, more and more slavery latifundia began to emerge. The ruthless exploitation of employees led many to several uprisings. The fate of slaves in province and schools for gladiators was particularly difficult. Warriors who had planned an outbreak of an armed uprising against Roman exploitation and social injustice waited for a charismatic commander.

Spartacus

Gladiators were often prisoners of war or slaves, but sometimes they were recruited from former soldiers.

Spartacus was a man of strong character and intelligence. He probably came from Thrace¹, a country that was still independent (then Thrace would become one of the provinces of Rome), but already exposed to Rome’s retaliatory actions. Thrace located on the Balkan Peninsula was known for a well-trained infantry using sickle swords.

Spartacus initially served in the Roman army as a Thracian mercenary. He became a good soldier. However, later, as a result of his bad behaviour and lack of discipline he was sent to the gladiator school in Capua (the west coast of the Apennine Peninsula). Spartacus, as an excellent gladiator, for some time served as a fencing teacher there, he taught valuable “pieces” of this fight. There, for killing another gladiator, he was transferred to Lentulus Batiatus’ school, a very difficult and high-security one. The name “Spartakiad”, so mass form of sporting events, comes from his name. He was a skilled fighter.

Plutarch mentions that Spartacus had a wife, from the same tribe. After his enslavement, she was also sold as a slave girl. We also know the prophecy that Plutarch gave us:

It is said that when he was first brought to Rome to be sold, a serpent was seen coiled about his face as he slept, and his wife, who was of the same tribe as Spartacus, a prophetess, and subject to visitations of the Dionysiac frenzy, declared it the sign of a great and formidable power which would attend him to a fortunate issuee.

– Plutarch, Crassus, 8.3

Uprising

In 73 BCE, a revolt led by Spartacus broke out. Its causes are found in the ill-treatment of gladiators. Around 70 gladiators, mostly Thracians and Gauls, accompanied Spartacus in this successful operation; the rest, between 120 and 170 slaves, died or remained in captivity. Armed with kitchen knives (gladiators could not have their weapons behind the arena), they repulsed the guards’ attack and got free. Already outside the city walls, they fought a victorious battle with the pursuing squad, thus gaining weapons. It is worth mentioning that the gladiators did not want to fight with gladiatorial weapons, treating them as disgraceful. Moreover, this type of weapon (e.g. crested helmets or heavy greaves) was impractical on the battlefield and people tried to arm themselves in the way that the Roman army fought.

Battle of Vesuvius

After initially plundering the fertile farms of Campania, Spartacus led his gradually expanding force of fugitive slaves to Mount Vesuvius, where he camped in its crater and waited for the Romans to besiege it. The slaves gathered on Mount Vesuvius chose – Crixus and Oinomaos – to be the chiefs. The initial, small group of insurgents grew quickly, powered by escapes from neighbouring estates. Vesuvius turned into a fortress that sheltered 10 000 people. They became the terror of all the rich Romans nearby. The Senate finally decided to send a regular army against the rebels. The Roman commander was Claudius Glaber, sent by praetor Publius Varinius, whom the Senate commissioned this operation.

When the Romans were close to the encampment with around 3,000 soldiers, Spartacus told his companions to make rope ladders from the climbers, thanks to which they quickly got to the bottom of the volcano. This action in the night allowed to surround Roman troops, shock them and surprise them with a victorious attack from the back.

Growth of uprising

In subsequent skirmishes, Spartacus defeated the praetor Varinius himself, who informed the senate about the problems in suppressing the rebellion and sent requests for more funds to fight the slaves. The Senate, which previously did not believe in the seriousness of the problem, finally decided to intervene. Against the rebels, it was decided to send 4 legions, which were divided between the consuls Lucius Gellius and Lentulus Clodianus. However, before the fight began, the focus was on securing central Italy, recruitment and training of