Discuss the lasting impact of Spartacus and his Slave Army.

Discuss the lasting impact of Spartacus and his Slave Army.

Spartacus was a Roman captive who lived from 109-71BC; he was a man who brought southern Rome to its knees. Spartacus has been the inspiration for hundreds of novels, movies and television shows throughout the 20th Century. His impact is obvious both long term and short term, as Roman laws changed to prevent another uprising similar to that brought on by Spartacus’ army.

There are three primary sources, which relate to Spartacus, they are Plutarch, Life of Crassus, and The Civil Wars by Appian and texts by Florus, most main ideas in these texts match with one another, although there are some differences such as Florus says that 30 men escaped from Capua, while both Appian and Plutarch say that 70 – 80 men escaped the compound. The credibility of the authors is negotiable, as their works could have been changed over time.

In his time Spartacus was frowned upon, as he was successful in fighting the Roman Empire. As his army grew, and his victories over Roman armies amounted, Rome took more notice of the conflict. Spartacus led his army around southern Italy for three years as he tried to find a way through the Alps and back to his home of Thrace, when he had an opportunity to make his way home, Spartacus made the decision to carry on with his slave army to march on Rome itself, knowing full well that death was to be the only outcome.

After the war on Spartacus Rome changed its laws to prevent another revolt, slave numbers were strongly decreased in gladiatorial training centres and latifundia (estates) to hinder the slaves from banding together, weaponry was banned from entering areas close to gladiatorial centres and it is noticed that conditions in which some slaves lived in improved marginally. Slavery in Rome still continued as without slavery its economy would falter, but the attitudes taken towards Rome’s slaves did change for the better.

It was the author Varro who stated, “Spartacus was innocently condemned to the arena”, all other ancient sources depict Spartacus as a criminal or bandit who went against all that the Roman Empire worked towards. It wasn’t until 1760 when Bernard-Joseph Saurin named him as a hero in the French play “Spartacus”, this play and comments from the German philosopher Karl Marx brought Spartacus into the modern world, as a positive, heroic figure. Several comments from Karl Marx and novels from many pro-communist writers about Spartacus introduced him as a symbol of rebellion, especially in Cold War America where communism was being frowned upon. Spartacus became somewhat of a symbol to the poor and working class as he came from a non-noble background and rose to fame.

Spartacus’ impact in modern times would include many productions of movies, books, plays and video games. There have been many recent historical recounts of Spartacus, such as “The Gladiator” by Alan Baker. There is also a current television show screening on channel Go that is primarily based on Spartacus, called “Spartacus; Blood and Sand”, the previews show him fighting in the arena which based on historical accounts never happened. The show seems to have been modified to attract a modern audience. The 1960 movie “Spartacus” depicts a slave warrior similar to the ancient figure, but the storyline is quite different, Spartacus in the film has a family and is killed not in battle, but on a Christian cross along the Appian Way, although slaves in Spartacus’ army suffered this death, the hero’s body was never actually found or identified.

Spartacus was a man hated in his time for going against everything that the citizens of the Roman Empire loved, he was depicted in ancient texts as a villain rather than a hero, his hero status took form almost two thousand years later in the French play Spartacus, since then he has formed into a Communist figurehead and became an inspiration for film and television producers, writers and historians. Spartacus’ impact has spanned across nearly two thousand five hundred years, constantly changing to entertain the audiences, hated at first, but then liked by many, a heroic figure who at one stage motivated cold war nations as a symbol of rebellion against the oppressor. Spartacus’ legacy could continue through time as long as people’s interest with the man doesn’t falter.


Bibliography -

Spartacus – Jona Lendering
http://www.livius.org/so-st/spartacus/spartacus.html

Plutarch on Spartacus
http://www.livius.org/so-st/spartacus/spartacus_t01.html
(Translation – Rex Warner)

Appian on Spartacus
http://www.livius.org/so-st/spartacus/spartacus_t02.html
(Translation – John Carter)

Florus on Spartacus
http://www.livius.org/so-st/spartacus/spartacus_t03.html
(Translation – Edward Forster)

Spartacus Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus

Karl Marx Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx

Spartacus Film (1960)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus_%281960_film%29

Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Television Show)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartacus:_Blood_and_Sand

The Gladiator (Novel)
http://www.amazon.com/Gladiator-Secret-History-Warrior-Slaves/dp/0306811855




Total words – 779

Toby Barnes