The Spartacus War

The Spartacus War is the extraordinary story of the most famous slave rebellion in the ancient world, the true story behind a legend that has been the inspiration for novelists, filmmakers, and revolutionaries for 2,000 years.

Starting with only seventy-four men and growing to an army of 60,000, the gladiator Spartacus incited a rebellion that threatened Rome itself. A charismatic leader, Spartacus excelled in combat. He defeated nine Roman armies and kept Roman forces at bay for two years before he was defeated. After his final battle, 6,000 of his followers were captured and crucified along Rome’s main southern highway.

The Spartacus War is the dramatic and factual account of one of history’s great rebellions, based on written documents and on archaeological evidence, historical reconstruction, and the author’s extensive travels in the Italian countryside that Spartacus once conquered.