PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

Activity Box
Roman Slaves – Spartacus
1. In what year was Spartacus killed?
2. Greece lies (south, north-east, southwest,
north) of Thracia.
3. Give words from the passage for:
(a)
(b)
huge
gathered
4. What were foreigners in the Roman
army know as?
5. Who showed his dislike for slaves in his
writings?
Tacitus, a Roman historian, didn’t think much of the Roman slaves who
came from all corners of the Roman Empire. He once wrote that ‘fear is the
only way to keep this rubbish in check’, but a slave the Romans couldn’t keep in
check was Spartacus. He was a herdsman from Thracia, an ancient land to the
north-east of Greece, and he had served in the Roman army as a member of the
‘auxilia’, non-citizens of Rome recruited from the provinces to support the regular
soldiers.
As an able-bodied slave Spartacus was forced to become a gladiator, but in 73
BC he escaped from a large gladiatorial training school at Capua with about 70
slaves. In time he was joined by vast numbers of slave farm workers and they
assembled on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. Eventually he led
an army of over 70 000 men. For many months this huge
army, led by trained gladiators, ravaged large parts of
southern Italy and defeated several Roman armies.
Spartacus hoped his followers would later cross the Alps to
seek safety in their own lands but the slaves were more
interested in plundering Roman villages and towns.
Finally, after training an army of 40 000 men, politician
and military leader General Crassus trapped and killed
Spartacus during a battle at Apulia, only two years after the
gladiators had escaped from Capua. Crassus then ordered
that 6 000 of the captured slaves be killed by crucifixion.
6. What did Spartacus want his slave army to
do eventually?
7. Why do you think Crassus defeated a much
bigger army?
8. Which mountains are mentioned in the
passage?
Viewing Sample
9. Tacitus thought
was a way of preventing slaves from rebelling.
10. Do you think it was necessary for Crassus to
crucify 6 000 slaves?
Why/Why not?
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