Spartacus was a Thracian soldier who had been enslaved by the Romans. In 73 BCE, he was one of a group of gladiators owned by Lentulus Batiatus and trained at a school in Capua. Spartacus led a revolt, using kitchen utensils as weapons to fight their way free. More slaves began joining the revolt, and soon Spartacus was leading an army of escaped slaves that rampaged across Italy.
The Roman Senate originally did not view the slave army as a serious threat. But Spartacus proved himself a skilled military leader, defeating four Roman armies sent to crush the revolt. At the height of his successes, Spartacus commanded an army of 90,000 runaway slaves. He sought to lead his followers over the Alps to escape from Italy and gain freedom.
The tide turned when Marcus Licinius Crassus was given command of eight Roman legions to defeat Spartacus. After attempts to flee Italy were foiled, the slave army made a last stand in Apulia in 71 BCE, where it was ultimately defeated. Spartacus is believed to have died on the battlefield. Though the revolt failed, Spartacus became legendary as an inspirational leader who led the largest slave uprising against ancient Rome. His life has served as a symbol of the struggle for freedom and resistance against oppression.
