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[[File:673px-Roman Legionaries-MGR Lyon-IMG 1050.jpg |thumbnail|300px250px|left|Roman legionaries 1st century BCE]]
One of the best-known figures in antiquity was Spartacus. His brilliance as a military tactician and strategist was recognized even by his enemies. He was a gladiator and the last great slave revolt to shake the Roman Empire (73-71 BCE). His uprising was crushed, and Pompey and Crassus's combined armies annihilated both him and his followers. The defeat of Spartacus and his followers was complete, but there is some argument over the legacy of the slave revolt. To many ancient historians, the rebellion of 73-71 BCE was a complete failure.
====Third Servile War====
[[File: Tod des Spartacus by Hermann Vogel.jpg|300px|thumbthumbnail|left|A 19th-century illustration of the death of Spartacus]]
Spartacus was a Thracian, and he had once fought with the Romans. According to Plutarch, he was enslaved by them after he had deserted. He was trained as a gladiator but due to his strength and combat skater.
====The rise of Crassus====
[[File: 512px-Fedor Bronnikov 002.jpg|300px250px|thumb|left|A 19th century painting of Crassus execution of Spartacus ex-slaves]]
The defeat of Spartacus was largely a result of the leadership of Crassus. His strategy was to contain Spartacus and then weaken him by defeating elements of his army. He could restrict the Thracian and his forces to a small area before forcing them into a decisive battle. Unlike other Roman commanders, he did not underestimate the Thracian, and this was essential. <ref>Strauss, Barry. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416532064/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416532064&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=f72cd7ef29a3ba2e7265dbe4adf57a7f The Spartacus War]</i> (London, Simon & Schuster, 2009)</ref>
====Impact on Rome====
[[File: 622px-Ancient bronze greek helmet -South Italy.jpg|thumbnail|300px250px|left|A Gladiator’s helmet c 2nd century BCE]]
As it was known at the time, the Third Servile War was the largest slave revolt in the ancient world. It seemed at one time that Spartacus could bring the Roman Republic to its knees. The war devastated much of southern Italy, and many towns and landed estates were destroyed. Many slaves had been freed or escaped, and many local herdsmen had joined the rebellion.
The revolt of 73-71 BCE may even have led in the longer-term to changes in the legal system that gave some rights to slaves. The devastation caused by the ex-slaves and gladiators in southern Italy led to a temporary slave shortage. This led to a move away from slave labor on landed estates to an early form of feudalism. The significance of this was that it might have reduced the slave numbers in many regions.
====References====