I am Spartacus!

Roma, Lazio

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Spartacus is one of history's greatest legends. Spartacus was born in Thrace, or modern day Bulgaria, around 109 BC and was forced into slavery to become a Roman gladiator. He would later become the leader of the greatest slave army the world has ever seen. His army fought in the third and final Servile War, which started in 76BC and lasted for two years. Leading his ragtag band of gladiators, slaves and farm hands, Spartacus wandered around Southern Italy, creating mayhem and bringing into question Rome's ability to defend itself. The stories of Spartacus' early years are shrouded in mystery. Historians believe he was born in Thrace, or modern day Bulgaria. He also possibly served in the Roman Legion, could have been a mercenary, and may have been captured as a deserter and sold as a slave. One thing is certain: Spartacus fought with the Romans, but by the year 76BC, he found himself in a gladiator school 20 miles from Mount Vesuvius. The Roman author Plutarch wrote that Spartacus, a freeman from Thrace, awoke to find a snake coiled around his head while traveling with his wife to Rome. Spartacus' wife, a prophetess, predicted that the snake was a sign that he would rise to great power and fame, but that it would not prove to be a happy event. Gladiator schools were strict, harsh environments, and it is not surprising that the slaves rebelled. During a revolt in 73BC, some 78 slaves, led by Spartacus, escaped from the gladiator school of Batiaus in Capua near Naples. Over the next several months, they went on to gather a force of 120,000 men that for nearly two years wandered the Italian countryside, wreaking havoc. During this time, the Slave Revolt defeated a number of Roman forces in battle, pillaged numerous towns and was eventually brought to an end - but only after facing two of Rome's veteran armies. Images are under the Creative Commons License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/