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Spartacus | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 103 BCE near Struma river, Odrysian Kingdom |
| Died | 71 BCE Lucania, Italy, Roman Republic |
| Nationality | Thracian |
| Known for | Leading a slave rebellion |
Spartacus (c. 103 – 71 BCE) was a Thracian gladiator who led a rebellion against slavery in the Roman Republic.
Early life
Spartacus was born as a free man in Thrace, which was located in modern-day Bulgaria. The Romans attacked Thrace and captured Spartacus, later enlisting him in the Roman army. He deserted and was sold to a gladiatorial school owned by Lentulus Batiatus after being recaptured.[1]
Rebellion
Spartacus united the gladiators at Batiatus's school and prepared them to escape. In 74 BCE, 70 of the 200 gladiators, including Spartacus, escaped and fortified themselves at Mount Vesuvius. Roman authorities sent 3,000 troops led by Gaius Clodius Glaber to stop the rebels. Spartacus and his followers climbed down the mountain with vines and ambushed Glaber's forces from behind.
After the rebel victory, slaves and free peasants all over Italy rebelled against the ruling class. By early 73 BCE, Spartacus's forces had grown to 10,000 and defeated Publius Varinius. By 72 BCE, they had increased to 120,000 to 200,000. The Roman Senate assembled an army led by Marcus Crassus to crush the rebellion. The rebel army initially moved north but then turned south in an attempt to liberate Sicily and the capital city of Rome. In 71 BCE, Spartacus died in battle after killing two Roman centurions.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The War of Spartacus" (2022-10-13). Politsturm. Archived from the original on 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2022-11-05.