Spartacus and the Slave Wars - Book Review

Spartacus and the Slave Wars: A History from Beginning to End
by Hourly History

The term slavery is, in itself, oppressive. Almost always, slaves are subjected to unthinkable suffering under their masters. It’s no surprise, therefore, that when given the chance, these bondservants resort to rebellion. In fact, one of the greatest revolts in history is recorded in the book, ‘Spartacus and the Slave Wars’.

Spartacus was a popular name on both the silver screen and television. In 1960, a film about him was produced in the United States. And, in 2010 – 2013 a television series was aired in the US, New Zealand, and Australia.

But, who was Spartacus?

Behind the character projected in film and television, Spartacus was a real person. He was a man from Thrace. Although his existence was shrouded in mystery, he lived during the time of the Roman Republic. That was centuries before the Anno Domini.

The Caste System

Spartacus and the Slave Wars look back to the history of ancient Rome. That was when the government system was called the Roman Republic. During this period, the social structure was characterized by a complex caste system. Each resident of the land belonged to a certain social stratum. The most powerful Roman citizen was called Cives Romani, while the lowest in the strata was the slave. Non-Roman-born people were either granted or denied citizenship and rights, depending on several factors. A person may also be degraded to a slave for some reason.

The Roman elite acquired many slaves. These bondservants were not given any protection or privilege in society. Worse, they did not possess legal personhood, at all.

The Slave Wars

The strict rules and regulations in Rome reduced many people to slavery. Slaves under the Roman Republic were subjected to unthinkable suffering. For one, they were made to wear a metal collar with the engraved names of their owners. Those without collars were tattoed in highly visible parts of their body, such as the forehead.

Due to severe oppression, the slaves decided to organize themselves. And so, a series ot revolts occurred starting in 135 B.C. The First Servile War was led by Eunus, a slave from Syria. While the second rebellion was led by Salvius.

After the failure of the two uprisings, the slaves once again bonded together. Initially, they chose three gladiators to lead them. The three leaders were Crixus, Oenomaus of Gaul, and Spartacus. It was under Spartacus’ leadership that the slaves made a mark in Roman history.

Follow the details of how the slaves organized themselves and fought the well-equipped Roman soldiers of the time. Read Spartacus and the Slave Wars and know more about the legendary man.

Spartacus and the Slave Wars: The Book

Spartacus and the Slave Wars is an interesting and informative read. The book presents great information about how the slaves took the courage to rebel against an oppressive regime. It’s also interesting to know how the Third Servile War became the catalyst for change in the treatment of slaves.

I commend Hourly History for producing this concise history of the slave wars. Overall, I give Spartacus and the Slave Wars a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend this book to students, History teachers, and readers of any age group. There are several things to learn from this book.