Spartacus was a slave who...
Illustration
Spartacus was a slave who led an uprising against Rome in about 70 B.C. He very nearly succeeded in freeing the slaves. But except for the gladiators, the slaves were not trained or armed to fight as an army, and they were defeated by the well-
disciplined legions of Rome. And Spartacus himself died in battle. The movie starring Kirk Douglas that set out to tell the story of Spartacus has him dying on a cross. They were making a parable, not history. The movie has the Roman general address the captured slave army and offer them freedom if they will only give up Spartacus. If they don't, they will all die horribly on crosses. Spartacus forthrightly steps forward to save his followers. He raises his arm and shouts proudly, "I'm Spartacus!" But just then, some other lover of freedom 100 yards away also steps forward and shouts proudly, "I'm Spartacus!" And then another, and another, until it doesn't matter who Spartacus is. They won't give him up, and they won't let him die alone. So, in the movie, Spartacus dies on a cross, and with his last breath gives his son an inspiring legacy. But in history it didn't happen quite that way.
-- Mosley
disciplined legions of Rome. And Spartacus himself died in battle. The movie starring Kirk Douglas that set out to tell the story of Spartacus has him dying on a cross. They were making a parable, not history. The movie has the Roman general address the captured slave army and offer them freedom if they will only give up Spartacus. If they don't, they will all die horribly on crosses. Spartacus forthrightly steps forward to save his followers. He raises his arm and shouts proudly, "I'm Spartacus!" But just then, some other lover of freedom 100 yards away also steps forward and shouts proudly, "I'm Spartacus!" And then another, and another, until it doesn't matter who Spartacus is. They won't give him up, and they won't let him die alone. So, in the movie, Spartacus dies on a cross, and with his last breath gives his son an inspiring legacy. But in history it didn't happen quite that way.
-- Mosley
