Kirk Douglas as Spartacus (111 - 71 BC) - one of my favourite movies as a child
Do you remember the 1960 movie “Spartacus” with Kirk Douglas? Never thought that I would once write about it. Nor did I realize until two weeks ago that decisive parts of the Spartacus Campaign or the Third Servile War (73 – 71 BC), as it is officially called, took place in Calabria where we are going this summer.
As Hollywood movies do, Kirk Douglas’ Spartacus is an idealized version of the real thing. It makes us believe that Spartacus’ motives were as noble as Washington’s and Jefferson’s and that he fought for liberty and justice. But he did not. The Third Servile War was not the War of Independence fought by America in 1776. It was a classical slave uprising which eventually foundered on its own contradictions. The slaves who took up arms had a clear enemy – the Romans. But no other coherent strategic goal beyond.
Spartacus facing Crassus' Legions in 71 BC at the final battle
When we stroll through Rome today and marvel at its cultural achievements, we tend to forget that the Roman Empire was a slave state. 10% of its 50 million people were slaves. Does not seem to be a lot at first glance. But most were concentrated in Italy. Estimates range from 2 – 3 million. Which makes a whopping 30 – 40% of Italy’s inhabitants. Slaves were everywhere. Mostly doing back-breaking work on the big rural estates of southern Italy, in the mines in the Apennines, were fighting as gladiators or working as prostitutes. Their life was short and expandable – except for the lucky few who were part of a noble household and had the chance to buy their own freedom. But these were the exceptions.
More than 50% of Roman slaves worked on the large land estates in Southern Italy
Where did these slaves come from? Mostly from Rome’s wars of conquest. The concept of Prisoners of War as we know it today in International Humanitarian Law (IHL) was unknown at the time. Any civilian or soldier who sided with Rome’s enemies was enslaved and sold in the markets. Entire ruling elites and town populations lost their freedom during these wars. It was brutal – the Roman Empire was not a benign Empire but more a state that resembled the Klingons – to use a contemporary example. The slaves were thus from all corners of the Empire – Hispanics who resisted Roman conquest, Gaul from Northern Italy and France, thousands of literate Greeks, Carthaginian nobles, black people from Nubia and desert tribes men from Northern Africa. The Roman concept of slavery was not related to race. Its objective was to eradicate any non-Roman culture with the exception of Hellenism and to provide the workforce to fed and equip the ever growing Empire.
Spartacus built a professional fighting force that could taken on the Roman Army ...
Spartacus’ uprising was the third in a long series of similar events. It was also the most dangerous for Rome and brought it to the brink of collapse. Spartacus, a former mercenary from Thrace, had unique tactical skills and a charismatic personality that inspired deep loyalty in his men. During his three years of fighting, his force of 70’000 defeated 9 Roman Armies and forced the Republic to mobilize all its resources to suppress the rebellion. Eventually he found his match in Crassus, the richest Roman, who fought him with six Legions he had paid for and blocked him in southern Italy. Spartacus’s last camp was in Reggio di Calabria, his final stand close to the Province of Salerno. He died in battle. The 6’000 surviving followers were crucified and lined the Via Appia from Capua to Rome. What a horrible way to punish people – it tells us a lot about Rome!
... it was not the "citizen" army as portrait in the movie
The reason why the Spartacus rebellion eventually foundered was its lack of strategic perspective.
Spartacus's campaigns from 73 - 71 BC
§ At first, the escaped slaves just wanted revenge. They plundered Roman villas, killed any slave owners they encountered and withdrew to a part of the Vesuvius which was difficult to access. After they defeated a Roman Army against all odds, they became bolder and established winter camp in southern Italy. Controlling Calabria and Puglia temporarily, they knew Rome would not give in and send new legions.
§ They thus went on the offensive to counter the threat. After more victories in middle Italy, they realized Rome would never give them freedom and decided to push north to join the free German tribes north of the Alps or migrate back to Thrace, Spartacus home country.
§ In their way stood two battle hardened Roman Legions commanded by Consul Gaius Longinus. It was a close call but Spartacus won. Now understanding that he could defeat regular Roman troops, escaping to poor Germany looked less attractive. Running all of southern Italy and kicking Rome out permanently seemed to be far more lucrative.
§ The choice however implied the building of a professional fighting force that could take on the Roman war machine. It would require an own government that could provide supplies, train new recruits, fund the war effort and raise the necessary taxes. What Spartacus and the formerly enslaved foreign nobles proposed was the same as Rome. None of them rejected slavery in principle as long as they were not slaves themselves. Nobody rallied around Spartacus in his last winter camp in Thurii which we are going to visit except his closest followers. For ordinary people his ideas of society were no different than Rome’s. Thus why bother? Spartacus’ rule would not provide any significant benefit. There was no declaration of independence or a human right charter that electrified the masses.
Marcus Licinius Crassus (115 - 53 BC), the wealthiest man in Rome, finally defeated Spartacus in 71 BC near Salerno - all photos are taken from the 1960 movie
In the 19th century, Spartacus became some sort of idolized hero for the political left. In Germany, some radical socialists even took his name. They were rather prominent after WW1 promising a communist paradise to the German workers. Of course, it did not happen. Kirk Douglas’ Spartacus is not much different – fighting for freedom and liberty he dies on the crucifix. Neither is true. Humanity had to wait for Christianity, the Enlightenment and Capitalism to put an end to slavery.
The death of Spartacus in a German illustration from 1882
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