What happened to spartacus and his revolt against the wealthy Romans?

Answer 1

The rebels were slaughtered in battle by the Roman army and 6,000 survivors were crucified along the Appian Way. There were some things which need to be noted.

Firstly, it was not Spartacus's revolt. This revolt has been called by historians the Third Servile (slave) War. It was the last of a series of unrelated slave rebellions during the Roman Republic. It had three leaders Crixus and Oenomaus and Spartacus. Spartacus became the sole leader after the other two men were killed in battle. Secondly, it was not a revolt against wealthy Romans. Ancient historians disagreed on the motives of the rebellion, but they did not see it as a rebellion against the rich. The rebels were fugitives whose main concerns were to defend themselves from attacks by Roman forces and plundering to procure themselves with food.

The revolt stated with 200 gladiators escaping from the gladiatorial school at Capua (south of Rome and Italy's second largest city at the time). They defeated a Roman militia of 3,000 men and a second expeditionary force on several thousand men (the precise number and the type of force are unknown) which were sent against them. Following this, they were joined by 70,000 slaves and even some herdsmen for the region. The gladiators armed a trained their followers. In the winter they conducted raids in Campania (the region around Capua) and Lucania and northern Calabria, further south. In the spring they travailed towards northern Italy along the eastern coast.

The ancient historians Plutarch and Appian disagree about the next events. They agreed that the rebels defeated two Roman legions in two battles (one in northern Apulia in the south and the other in the Picenum area, in central Italy). However, according to Plutarch, the rebels continued to travel northwards, while according to Appian, after winning, Spartacus (who now was the sole leader) was tempted to head for Rome, but gave up the idea of attacking the city because his force was not strong enough for such a feat and returned to the south.

The rebels were defeated when Rome decided to mobilise a larger military force capable to defeat them. Marcus Licinius Crassus was given the command of eight legions, an estimated force of 32-42 thousand men. Crassus won a first battle (according to Plutarch this occurred in Picenum; according to Appian it took place in Samnium, in the south) and killed 6,000 rebels. Spartacus retreated to Calabria, the toe of Italy. On hearing that further Roman reinforcements (led by Pompey) were on their way he tried to negotiate. This was refused and Crassus defeated a section of the rebel force, led by Gannicus and Castus, and killed 12,300 men. The rebel forces were exhausted and smaller groups decided not to flee and confront the Romans independently. Because of the breakdown in discipline Spartacus decided to go for a last stand. The rebels were routed at the Battle of the Siler River. The Romans crucified the 6,000 surviving rebels along the Appian Way.

Plutarch thought that the rebels were trying to reach northern Italy and, from there, escape to their places of origin. Appian thought that it was a civil war against Roman Republic which aimed at attacking the city of Rome. This interpretation may have been simply a reflection of Roman fears and if this had been the case, it did not materialise.