- Unit 3. Rome, the Global Empire
- Getting Started
  - What Are We Learning?
  - Observe and Think
  - Map Your Mind
- Rome, the Global Empire
  - The History of Ancient Rome
    - A Little City Become Empire
    - The Legendary Origins
    - The Monarchy (753-509 BC)
    - The Republic (509-27 BC)
      - The Fight for Political Rights
      - Major Conquests during the Republic
      - The Crisis of the Republic
    - The Roman Empire (27-476 AD)
      - The Crisis of the Third Century
      - The Recovery of the 4th Century
      - The Fall of the Roman Empire
  - The Roman Society
    - Women in Rome
    - Slaves
  - The Roman Economy
  - The Roman Law
  - The Roman Army
- Self-Evaluation Quiz
- Complementary Activities
  - The Greek and Latin Roots of English
  - One Myth, One Song
  - Games, Comics and Stuff
- References

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# Slaves

Rome needed workers to maintain its wealth. The first people conquered by the Roman army were welcomed as citizens, but after 265 BC, many conquered people were auctioned off as slaves. Many of the great architectural achievements of ancient Rome were created with the grueling labour of slaves. One of these slaves starred one of the most incredible episodes of Roman History: Spartacus. He certainly deserves the reading and comment in class of the text below.

Promotional poster of Stanley Kubrick's film Spartacus featuring Kirk Douglas as Spartacus

## Reading Activity: Spartacus

Rome needed workers to maintain its wealth. The first people conquered by the Roman army were welcomed as citizens, but after 265BC, many conquered people were auctioned off as slaves. Many of the great architectural achievements of ancient Rome were created with the grueling labor of slaves.

A slave named Spartacus led a slave revolt that threatened the stability of the Roman Republic. Spartacus was likely from Thrace, a land northeast of Greece, but we don't know much about his early life. Spartacus may have been a soldier in the Roman army, but was condemned to slavery. He was forced to train to be a gladiator. In ancient Rome, most gladiators were armed slaves who went into battle with other slaves or wild animals for the entertainment of the Roman people. In 73BC, Spartacus and a group of other gladiators escaped captivity by seizing kitchen knives and fighting their way to freedom. The Romans sent a small force to capture the escaped gladiators, but the slaves killed most of the Roman soldiers and took their weapons.

The Roman army believed they cornered the escaped slaves on Mount Vesuvius by blocking the only path from the mountain. Spartacus and his soldiers secretly climbed down a steep cliff using vines as ropes. The slave army then attacked the Romans from behind, killing most of the unprepared soldiers. The slaves continued to win battles with Roman armies and became folk heroes for many of the poorest people of ancient Rome. Folk heroes are popular with common people, but not with people in power. The ranks of the slave army grew as they liberated other slaves, and as word of their success grew, as many as 120,000 of the poorest people of Rome joined the revolt. Spartacus' powerful army plundered the Roman countryside for more than two years.

The slave revolt ended after a bloody series of battles near the southern tip of the Italian peninsula in 71BC. Two Roman generals, Crassus and Pompey, led a force 40,000 soldiers. The slaves were no match for the superior weapons of the Roman armies. Spartacus was killed in battle, but six thousand of his soldiers were taken prisoner and crucified. Crucifixion is a form of execution where the prisoner is nailed to a cross and left to die a slow, painful death. The crosses were placed along the Apian Way, one of Rome's most traveled roads. The sight of the crucified slaves served as a gruesome reminder of the strength and the brutality of the Roman army.

Crassus and Pompey returned to Rome as heroes. The Senate selected them to be consuls, but Crassus and Pompey were soon to come into contact with the greatest general in Roman history: Julius Caesar.

From Dowling, Mike. "Spartacus at mrdowling.com" www.mrdowling.com. Updated August 8, 2011 .

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