The Spartacus War
A Thracian trained by Rome turned its own military methods against it, and held out for two years.
Strauss reconstructs the slave revolt of 73 BC from thin and hostile sources, and the reconstruction is the achievement. Spartacus was a Thracian who had served in the Roman auxiliaries before he was enslaved and sent to a gladiator school at Capua, which is why he could fight Rome on its own terms for two years. Strauss reads the terrain, the tactics and the religion of the rebels rather than repeating the legend that grew afterwards.
Recommended by 1 Person
Adrienne Mayor
Barry Strauss is a friend of mine, and I really admire his writing. This book is about the great slave revolt led by the gladiator slave Spartacus.
Interview · May 2010
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